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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22824907">In the Dark, A Blaise Zabini/ Gellert Grindelwald Dark wizard fic</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/blaisegellert/pseuds/blaisegellert'>blaisegellert</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blaise Zabini is a Good Friend, F/M, Gay Blaise Zabini, Good Severus Snape, M/M, POV Blaise Zabini, POV Gellert Grindelwald, Seer Gellert Grindelwald</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 12:42:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>92</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>167,201</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22824907</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/blaisegellert/pseuds/blaisegellert</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Gellert Grindelwald is freed from Nurmengard and offered a potion that will restore his youth if he only helps to fight against Voldemort in exchange he is up for the challenge.  He doesn't expect to find love or family, but he has been granted a second chance and he is, of course, smart enough to take it.  Unanswered questions about his past present a danger, though, and his inability to strike out against Voldemort because of a prophecy that says a Potter boy must do it instead provides difficult struggles.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blaise Zabini/Gellert Grindelwald</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Taking action:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div>
  <p>In the dark Chapter 1: Taking action:</p>
</div><div><p><br/>


</p>
<p> </p></div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Dumbledore's little army weren't the only ones taking a stand of protest when it came to the Voldemort situation. There were many dark wizards unwilling to be forced into a life of needless murder and insanity by a madman. Not all dark wizards wished to be led, controlled or told what to do.  For a dark faction to begin, however, someone had to take initiative. The leader of the silent dark rebellion was an intelligent, smooth and classy German half giant by the name of Wolfgang Adler. Unlike Hagrid the man was sophisticated, tall yet well proportioned in a perfectly tailored suit, with short red hair and blue eyes. He inspired and interested people, and as his practice was to work under the radar, even those dark wizards who did not wish to take an open stand against Voldemort, felt it safe to work with him.</p>
  <p>Three of those wizards were Blaise Zabini and his parents.  Term hadn't yet begun at Hogwarts, so though this was a week night Blaise was free for the meeting of around eight or so of London's most powerful Voldemort-Free dark wizards.</p>
  <p>"Do you know how illegal that is," Severus Snape burst out.<br/>
"Does it matter," Wolfgang asked calmly, tone reasonable.</p>
  <p>"No one is ever going to find out. We will do it here, and to someone who won't be missed...And most important of all for the greater good." The half giant chuckled in a way that made Blaise give a rare dry smile of appreciation for the punned slogan of Grindelwald back in the day.</p>
  <p>"I have found someone who is old enough to take his place in Nurmengard so no one will even guess that he has escaped when we free him," Wolfgang explained.<br/>
Snape almost looked impressed. "Sounds reasonable I suppose," the potions master said carefully. "How did you manage to convince someone to go to prison for life," he asked, arching dark brows at the dignified half giant.</p>
  <p>"I know many German families, some richer than others. The poor ones work for the rich ones. I simply chose a very poor one with a loving grandfather who felt spending his final days in Nurmengard for the assured wealth of his family a worthy trade. I made sure the family is wealthy and they believe he passed in his sleep as they never would've agreed to sending dear old Grandpa off to prison. In truth the man is becoming senile so I did a kindness to all if you ask me. His family believe he had a secret stash of gold as I managed to have him leave a will. So they never knew the pay off was from me."</p>
  <p>Wolfgang came from a very wealthy family himself, and he never minded putting that wealth to good use in situations like this, which Blaise respected.</p>
  <p>"Good thinking," Blaise's mother drawled. "When old people go addled, taking care of them is a literal fright! I once had a friend whose mother went all off there rails, and it nearly killed her dealing with it all!"</p>
  <p>"The old man is resting in my guest room, ready to take Grindelwald's place tomorrow. Of course I made sure they look similar enough to pass," Wolfgang said.</p>
  <p>It was really about to happen. Though this plan had been in the works for a few weeks, now that it was actually about to finalize, Blaise allowed himself a rare rush of excitement. Soon he would meet Gellert Grindelwald. The man was the only living enchanter that Blaise felt could actually have anything useful to share with him. Blaise lived for enchanting objects. It was the most fascinating branch of magic and one at which he excelled. It allowed him the room to spread his creative wings and to express his thoughts and ideas, turning them into solid useful concepts that would eventually make him even more money than he already had. If he and Grindelwald were to work together, even better.</p>
  <p>Wolfgang tended to partake in the magical auctions that took place all over Europe, and his most recent acquisition was a very old alchemy scroll with several beyond rare potion recipes on it. Old as in around the time of Salazar Slytherin if not before. The scroll was laden with preservation spells and still yellowed around the edges...So impressively old. Just now Snape held it in his hands, studying the instructions and ingredients for the last potion that was listed.<br/>
A potion of youth. It may have seemed relatively innocent at first glance, but in order to give one person youth, it had to be taken from another via their life force I.E killing them. To make it matter the person had to be young enough to have enough years to give, so at least middle age. Gellert Grindelwald was old enough to require someone young, which Wolfgang would procure via one of Voldemort's Death Eaters.</p>
  <p>The plan was to capture a follower of Voldemort's and bring him or her back here to Adler manor where the potion could be made in private, away from prying eyes. Wolfgang planned to torture the victim until they were ready to follow instructions just so the pain would stop. The instruction they would be required to follow was simply to breathe into a vial. As by then Snape would've made the potion itself, the liquid would trap the breath. The Death Eater would die and when Grindelwald drank the potion, he'd become young again.</p>
  <p>Though the prospect was admittedly fascinating Blaise didn't relish watching anyone die even if they were worthy of such. Meeting Grindelwald was an exciting prospect to say the least, but it could wait at least until the body was cleared out. Blaise planned to set up shop for himself after graduating Hogwarts and traveling a bit. He studied and even made his own enchanted objects so planned to make a name and living for himself doing so. Grindelwald was a very powerful wizard with similar interests, so Blaise was eager to make friends or at least make the attempt. He had few close friends as most people bored him or were too untrustworthy or frequently both.</p>
  <p>"You're certain you can get one of Voldemort's followers to come back here with you, Severus," Blaise's mother asked, and Snape nodded tightly.</p>
  <p>"I told you, Sabra, they trust me because he does."</p>
  <p>"Talk about not thinking for oneself," Millicent Bulstrode muttered darkly. "Because no one should trust that face."</p>
  <p>Snape looked as if he were considering the option of ignoring her, but shot his least favorite Slytherin a glare instead. "Glass houses, Bulstrode," he drawled.</p>
  <p>"Love and harmony. Isn't it what we all live for," Blaise asked the room in general, unable to resist the opportunity to be witty and sarcastic to his own lot.</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Big Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day after the meeting, Gellert Grindelwald was being freed from Nurmengard. Blaise was even allowed to help, if from a distance. Wolfgang was bolder than most dark wizards in that he understood the import of getting rid of Voldemore. So much that he was willing to allow all skilled wizards to help no matter their age if they had something to offer. He never treated Blaise or other wizards his age like children even if he did have one more year to go at Hogwarts. Blaise was of legal age and had exceptional skills when it came to enchantments.</p><p>Wolfgang saw no reason not to utilize that in the fight for wizarding freedom. Millicent, eager to impress Wolfgang when they'd first met, hadn't hesitated to share her high opinion of Blaise's ability. Wolfgang seemed to believe Millicent hung the moon, so he valued her opinions very highly. When the German half giant hatched this plan to free Grindelwald to hopefully aid in all of their greater good, Blaise's abilities were an obvious choice to help pull it off.</p><p>Bramble, the Zabini house elf, would be the one to actually break the most famous wizarding criminal out of his solitary prison.  Blaise had made the elf a talisman to wear that would unravel any spells in his vicinity long enough for him to side apparate Grindelwald away. The tower like prison had wards placed upon it similar to Hogwarts, and those never gave elves any trouble at all. Foolish wizards never considered elves a threat so they were overlooked. It certainly never seemed to occur to anyone in charge of security that an elf could break someone out of prison with the right plan behind him.</p><p>Bramble would simply apparate in with the old man who was to replace Grindelwald in Nurmengard, tell Grindelwald that he was with a friend, and leaving the substitute, apparate the escaped prisoner away to Wolfgang's manor.  There he would be briefed on their plan aka the reason for his breakout. If he agreed to Wolfgang's terms, he would be given the potion to restore his youth and strength. It would be more difficult for him to be a strong daring fighter against Voldemort, even from behind the scenes, if he remained old and frail from years in prison, after all.</p><p>The aim of Wolfgang and his slowly growing group of dark wizards was to do their part to take Voldemort down, or at least deplete him of followers by killing them off one by one.  Grindelwald was a wizard to be admired and respected. He had skills that could be utilized and considering his background in magical warfare, hopefully ideas that Wolfgang and the others had not considered. This group thought of themselves as renegades, strong enough to fight dark fire with dark fire where Dumbledore's army and the ministry had failed due to nonsensical moral weakness. As Blaise saw it, Grindelwald should fit right in.</p><p>Though finding the substitute for Grindelwald in prison was a brilliant move on Wolfgang's part, discovering the recipe for the potion to restore Grindelwald's youth made the breakout truly worth the risk. They needed all the strong, brilliant, willing to fight Voldemort wizards that they could get.  Fortunately Wolfgang was able to find the ingredients to make the potion and Severus had prepared it. Surprisingly it wasn't one of those potions that had to sit for weeks. Nor was it packed with rare ingredients that a wizard had to travel the most out of the way, dangerous parts of the world to procure. It was actually shockingly easy. Shockingly easy to take someone's life to gain youth, which is why it was a good thing that knowledge of the potion was so very obscure.</p><p>Blaise fleetingly wondered if he would be tempted to use it himself when age began to ache his own bones some day in the very distant future.  Unlike with an abominable Horcrux, one only had to take the life of another rather than giving up any of their own soul.  There were so many people who were deserving of death in this world. The idea was tempting.</p><p>Blaise was never comfortable with the idea of killing, but he knew such things were situational. If he were defending himself or someone he cared about, family, his very few friends, killing would be easier. He supposed it would also be easier when he was old yet still interested in living.</p><p>Now that the day to free Grindelwald was at hand, he had an opportunity to see the potion in action. And Grindelwald himself. It would be interesting to see if the man was as amazing, interesting and intelligent as history claimed. Often things were exaggerated, and if Grindelwald had been exaggerated, Blaise would be disappointed. Then again, perhaps the authorities had under exaggerated him out of fear. They had confined him to an entire prison all alone, after all. For such measures they must have considered him quite the above average danger and that was impressive!</p><p>Eager to meet Grindelwald, yet not particularly interested in seeing the chosen Death Eater biting the big one, Blaise decided to distract himself with a bit of book shopping in Knockturn Alley. Because his paranoid parents had forbidden him to go into town alone while Voldemort was ramping things up so, he took Bramble with him. Bramble apparated them, so Blaise did not take himself anywhere. Being a Slytherin, he knew how to Slytherin himself around the silly constricting rules of his parents. </p><p>Bramble, to Blaise's annoyance, was more of a rule follower, but he had to follow Blaise's commands so long as they didn't directly contradict those of his parents. He would never snitch on the elf for helping him, but he considered himself having fully followed his parents orders to the letter, if in a very Slytherin fashion as was befitting a Slytherin.</p><p>Blaise brought along a pocket watch so that Bramble could apparate away at the appointed time to make the Nurmengard Switch, as their little group had begun to call it. Once done, he'd be back with Blaise in Knockturn Alley in less than 5 minutes. He'd initially offered to come along with Bramble in case the breakout didn't go as planned, but the elf insisted, and Wolfgang agreed, that the fewer people involved the better. If something went wrong, Bramble could react faster only having to worry about getting Grindelwald and himself away so even Wolfgang would remain behind.</p><p>Dark wizard and elf were having a nice time trolling Knockturn alley and so engrossed did Blaise become in the various items of interest that he nearly forgot the import of the day. That was the point, only it had worked better than expected. The prospect of actually meeting Gellert Grindelwald was exciting enough to have Blaise climbing the walls if he didn't give himself something better to do. Time flew, though, and before he knew it, the moment had come.</p><p>Blaise was examining a book on the lost art of enchantments when Bramble announced that it was time. The elf had insisted on holding the pocket watch so he could repeatedly glance at it to ensure he wasn't late. That was just a bit too much like the rabbit in Wonderland.  Blaise couldn't resist picturing the overly serious elf with bunny ears which elicited a rare smile from the Slytherin.</p><p>"Be careful," Blaise murmured to the elf, voice low as not to risk being overheard. He promised to remain in the shop until Bramble returned so the elf wouldn't have to troll Knockturn looking for him. He had intended to do just that but the shop owner announced that he was closing up for lunch and would reopen in an hour. Blaise sighed, and carried the book he was scanning up to the counter along with one on how to remove the magic from enchanted objects. After buying both he carried them outside to wait.</p><p>As he waited for Bramble, he leaned against the shop front, his attention moving between both of his new books.  When the strange feeling gripped him, it completely drained him of focus. Something was wrong...very wrong...Only was it with him, or...outside of himself? Was he unwell? The feeling was so foreign, Blaise was having difficulty processing it. Then the temperature dropped and Blaise came to the conclusion, that as usual the problem wasn't with him.</p><p>With that in mind the sound of panicked screams suddenly coming from up the street weren't that much of a surprise.  An annoyance, granted, but not a surprise.  His first instinct was to apparate home, but then Bramble would come here and look for him, perhaps getting himself hurt or worse. Blaise swore under his breath. Something bad was happening here, that much was obvious. Worse it was very likely to be Voldemort related. This was, apparently a bad day to be out. Had his parents been right to insist he remain at home?  Well it was a bit too late for that now and there was still Bramble to consider.</p><p>Then inspiration struck. Whipping his wand from the back pocket of his black summer slacks, Blaise murmured a charm that allowed him to write on the brick wall just outside the shop. The lettering should remain for half an hour and fade so there would be no bloody stupid charges for befouling property or anything of the sort. Blaise simply wrote.</p><p>I went home. Please meet me there.<br/>B</p><p>As he wrote the disconcerting feelings grew stronger than they appeared. As Blaise was finishing his note, shadows seemed to fall around him, making it more difficult to see. Cold hands grasped him as he glanced up to see towering forms in tattered hooded robes. These weren't Death Eaters. They were Dementors!</p><p>Blaise had never seen them but he'd read of them. Idly, through his shock and mild panic, he wondered if Dementors were worse than Death Eaters. Were they less intelligent, perhaps he could trick or defeat them if he managed to avoid being snogged by one of them.</p><p>Blaise considered himself an explorer of magic, and in general rather sexually open if he found a person interesting. Gender didn't always matter though he preferred girls as a rule, but he was drawing the line at Dementors. No way.  No snogging Dementors for him! They may be magically interesting but they were too dangerous and too ugly!</p><p>Amusing himself through the panic seemed to help. The thoughts had flickered through his mind in less than two seconds. Two of the things had just put their hands on his arms and were shaking him. What was it that got rid of these foul monsters? Ah yes a Patronus... And what had taken him so long to think of that? It must be the strange energy these Dementors gave off...It had to be! Glad to still have his wand out from writing Bramble the note, Blaise opened his mouth to cast his Patronus when one of them hissed a question into his ear.</p><p>"Blaise Zabini! Where is Harry Potter?"</p><p>"How in the hell should I know and while we're at asking questions how is it that you know my name?"</p><p>Rather than replying with words one of the things swooped down toward his face, hideous gray scabby skin drawing closer to his own. As it turned out, plans hadn't changed and Blaise still wasn't interested in snogging Dementors.  With that thought in mind he cast his Patronus in a near shout. The huge black spider leapt from his wand and the Dementors released his arms. Wasting no time, he apparated away instantly.<br/> <br/>Blaise dashed inside, heart racing as he darted to the large web shaped wall clock in the sitting room. Bramble had about 3 more minutes before he would return to meet him in Knockturn alley. If in a minute after that the elf hadn't come home, Blaise supposed he would have to go back and look for him. Hopefully the Dementors would've shoved off by then.</p><p>"What ever is the matter with you?"" Blaise's father asked, lowering the news paper he was reading with a rustling of pages.  "Your face looks strange. It's something wild around the eyes," he elaborated to Blaise's annoyance.</p><p>SHIT! What was his dad doing home?  His parents were supposed to have a thing with friends, some magical museum tour or something. They'd arranged it out of paranoia just in case Grindelwald's escape went sour their whereabouts would be solidly accounted for.</p><p>Blaise turned to the short muscular Italian and took a deep breath.  "I thought you were going to a thing."</p><p>His father frowned. "The museum flooded so it got called off and we didn't have time to plan anything else. Spill," he commanded.</p><p>Blaise sighed."Um...I sort of sneaked out to book shop and Dementors decided to visit Knockturn alley for whatever reason and they laid hands on me before I could escape. They asked me where stupid Harry Potter was for some reason as if I'd bloody know," he sneered.</p><p>"And they knew my name," he ended carefully.</p><p>"They knew what," his father thundered.</p><p>Somehow from the tone and glowering rageful expression, Blaise concluded that his father didn't need his words repeated. As Geo Zabini continued to shout, his Italian accent became thicker with each word.<br/>"Did your mother and I not work obsessively to keep us all safe? Using my metamorphing abilities to keep everyone thinking she was marrying different men and killing all her husbands? Didn't we sacrifice for you?"</p><p>Blaise struggled not to sigh, knowing where this was going...and for how long. At least a good five minutes.</p><p>"Didn't we do everything we could to appear dark enough to be ignored by the Dark Lord and not seen as a threat? And did you appreciate any of that enough to even stay bloody home when such was requested?!"</p><p>Blaise opened his mouth to protest that he had gone with Bramble so should be safe. But he didn't say that. He didn't say that he was tired of being kept in a box all summer because of stupid Voldemort either. He merely opened his mouth, became wise, and shut it again.</p><p>His mother entered the room then, wearing a red dress of flowing summer silk. Her face was pinched into an expression that said clearer than words that she'd heard their conversation.</p><p>"Tell us everything from beginning to end. No summarizing," Sabra Zabini bit out.</p><p>And he did. As he spoke, the anger momentarily faded from his mother's youthful features and her face became thoughtful then excited.</p><p>"You didn't become too depressed to act! You handled the situation brilliantly! Good boy. Granted you are still in a heap of trouble but you did do well and Mummy is proud!"</p><p>Blaise blinked. "Depressed? No I don't suppose I was. I was busy. I was unsettled when I felt the change of their presence but not depressed."</p><p>People were supposed to be extremely depressed around Dementors to the point they couldn't recall a single happy incident in their whole lives. He was distracted with his new books, but could that have been enough? Likely not.</p><p>"That is amazing! It would've still been brilliant if you'd struggled through the depression but you didn't even feel it somehow," Sabra gushed.</p><p>"I suppose I felt unsettled," Blaise said.</p><p>"Well that's still not depressed. It's amazing. You are a brilliant boy."<br/>His father looked mildly impressed but not nearly as much as his mother so Blaise doubted it would do him any good in the not getting into trouble department.</p><p>"But how did they recognize him, Geo," his mother demanded of his father, worry returning to her face to pinch her features.</p><p>"I don't feel safe," she concluded. "I don't feel that he is safe."</p><p>Her blue eyes became nearly wild with panic as she gazed at his father.<br/>"Those creatures have never been known to recognize people and they don't need to start with my boy!"</p><p>"What if the Dark Lord heard of him through the Malfoys," Geo asked. "We did tell him to be polite to Draco to stay on the right end of not being in his radar. Though that should have nothing to do with Potter," he concluded doubtfully.  "Never mind that then."</p><p>Being polite to Malfoy had been nearly impossible and had it not been a direct parental order, Blaise likely wouldn't have. He was boring and stupid and a git who thought he was way better than he actually was. And he looked like a rodent besides.</p><p>"That's it. We're going to Hogwarts. It's the safest place right now," Sabra decided. "Everyone go pack. Where is Bramble?"</p><p>Hogwarts? Before term began? Blaise opened his mouth to violently protest when Bramble apparated in.</p><p>"Bramble got Master Blaise's message on the outside of the shop. What happened," the elf asked, then his face fell when he registered Blaise's parents.<br/>Blaise sighed as his mother recounted the Dementor encounter before he could do so.</p><p>"And don't believe for a minute that you aren't in for it for taking him," Sabra told the elf. "We didn't order you not to, but you should know when we give him an order you aren't to help him out of it." </p><p>"But he makes Bramble," the elf protested, shooting Blaise a dark look of resentment. Sabra only glared.</p><p>"Go and pack for Hogwarts, the both of you," she said briskly.</p><p>"I don't want to go to Hogwarts," Blaise protested. He was feeling vast amounts of depression set in even though the Dementors were gone. The thought of being stuck in Hogwarts during the last month of summer, such a rubbish school compared to the likes of Durmstrang, could do that to one.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Jailbreak</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
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  <p>It started like all the other thousands of days he'd spent in Nurmengard, in a deep haze. His jailers kept him drugged for fear he'd find a way to escape with a clear head. Once, about forty-five years ago, he'd been flattered that they thought so highly of his admitted skills in wandless magic, but it eventually stopped being amusing.</p>
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  <p>At present, even mildly awake, he could still hear the Mara, rattling her chains, compelled to instill fear in her prisoners through carefully constructed nightmares. It was a long accepted irony that he had used the chains to partially bind her to Nurmengard, without limiting her magical talents. That lack of limitation was now coming back to bite him on a daily basis. His pathetic jailers hadn't only used his own prison against him, they'd taken the living sentient defenses he'd put into place as well. That bit wasn't flattering because it was enraging instead.</p>
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  <p>They were obviously too weak to take him honestly. They couldn't even craft defenses to hold him because, they.were.all.inadequate! Disgusting, yet here he was in a literal prison of his own making with his painstakingly summoned and bound creatures working to hold him here. A great achievement on his part, first subverted by those who'd originally brought him down, and then reinforced by the hecks from the German Ministry of Magic. Just as they had with his Chernobog and Krakonoch, forcing the creatures to guard the outer walls of his prison against his escape, the mara was forced to be the third and final magical lock on the prison that held him.</p>
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  <p>The Mara was the most successful of them all. She guarded from the inside, literally. A creature of nightmares meant she was also a creature of the mind. Of what a person was made of as that was, in truth, the real essence of nightmares.  He resisted her invasion of his mind at first. He was accomplished in the art of Occlumency.<br/>

But bit by bit, the Mara filled his mind with ephermal visions, growing ever stronger from stealing his memories which formed the core of his personality. Gellert was a survivor, but even he didn't know how much longer he would last.  To make matters more concerning, the Mara wasn't even working that hard anymore. It seemed she was only idly playing with his mind, as if she sensed his impending defeat. Even now, she seemed to have instilled in him a hope of escape, presumably to only crush it in a later part of the dream, as she has done many times before.</p>
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  <p>Gellert Grindelwald was well aware of her tricks. And still, the sound of a crack caused him to look around, almost wistfully. Who was there? A jailer with terrible food or bored taunts surely.<br/>

A house elf stood before him in one of those elf sacks the creatures wore, but this was an odd one as it was black covered in a silver spiderweb pattern. It was too well developed, to be Mara's work. Perhaps, after all these years he could finally be free? His previously hazy mind began working once again, focus and clarity slowly returning.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>As his mind struggled to clear itself at least a little from the ever present drugged haze that hung over it like a cloak Gellert's still sharp eyes took in more of the scene before him.  The elf was holding the arm of an old man with a prune like face and wild white hair. Gods was that how he himself looked by now?! Did it even matter anymore?<br/>

"Mr. Grindelwald, Sir," the elf began.<br/>
"I have come to take you away if you are willing. All will be explained once we are out of here... I don't wish to be attacked by such a formidable wizard as yourself, however, so have I your permission?"</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p><br/>
"Of course," the dark wizard hastily agreed, half wondering how the elf was going to breach his prison's defenses. He had nothing to lose so he didn't hesitate to consider any repercussions were the elf to fail.<br/>

The elf turned to the old man who Gellert guessed had to be taking his place, and gave a slight bow.<br/>
"Thank you for your service, Sir."<br/>

Then, grasping Gellert's wrist in small spidery elf fingers, they apparated away from Nurmengard with a crack.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>The elf's side apparating skills were far better than most wizards, Gellert silently observed. He didn't even feel ill or dizzy. Carefully he glanced around, wishing his head would clear faster. They stood in the center of a grand library full of tall shelves and the strong smell of books. Ornate tables held equally ornate reading lamps and claw footed overstuffed chairs and sofas dotted the floor.<br/>

"Welcome to Adler Manor, Mr. Grindelwald," the elf said. "Bramble will now leave Mr. Grindelwald in the capable hands of his host and the mastermind behind the plan to free Mr. Grindelwald. He presents Wolfgang Adler. Bramble must attend to his own master. Bramble will be seeing Mr. Grindelwald again soon."<br/>

The elf then turned to Wolfgang and Gellert found himself doing the same, curious as to who had done this for him and why. Vaguely he found himself wondering what year it was. His benefactor sat in a large dark armchair. He was a tall wide shouldered man. Gellert could tell this even from his seated position. He had short neatly cut red hair and intelligent looking blue eyes in a cleanly shaven face. His features spoke of good breeding and his suit was perfectly fitted and obviously tailored.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>"Bramble carried out the task with no hitches. The charm Master Blaise made for him seems to have disenchanted anything near by so even if they are somehow keeping a magical watch out, nothing should be noticed," the elf reported, gaze on Wolfgang. Then with a nod of farewell the elf apparated away. Gellert hadn't known many elves, but the one who'd just departed seemed more dignified than others somehow.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>"Do have a seat, Mr. Grindelwald," the large man, Wolfgang, at last spoke. Though he spoke English, his accent was German. A fellow countryman, Gellert thought, vaguely comforted by the sound of home.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p><br/>
"A new threat is looming large, the likes of which the world has never seen. Your successor as a Dark Lord, called Lord Voldemort is even less scrupulous than yourself. His goals are intolerably extreme. He does not only remove opposition to his cause, he destroys it, and tortures it."</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Gellert nodded, his sedated brain racing to keep up and succeeding thus far. Glancing around he took a seat as he was invited to do, settling himself on a sofa that was situated across from Mr. Adler's own chair.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p><br/>
"The Ministry makes efforts to recruit good people, research the menace, fight against the threat, but...they are the Ministry. Their best efforts are not nearly enough. You better than most know what that means, Mr. Grindelwald," Wolfgang solemnly explained. Gellert nodded and Adler continued.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>"I have gathered a group of friends, to fight against the new threat in somewhat unconventional ways. We are not as soft, nor as aggressive as some of the Ministry's officials. We fight from the shadows where it is safer yet also better hidden and could use a man of your skills to fight alongside us. I know, I know, you are just out of prison, and do not feel at your best...that can be remedied. We have a potion to restore your youth and vitality both, and in return ask that you'd your very best to help us."</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Before Gellert could even completely process that, the large man held up a hand, an expression of warning on his face.  "But Mr. Grindelwald...you were used to working alone, and will now be a part of the team. Should you decide to take over, or to betray us to your fellow Dark Lord, the privilege of the potion can be undone. And you can, and will be crushed. I don't even need any help on that matter, being a half giant, but I do have allies everywhere. At the very least, any transgression would put you back where you started, to spend the rest of your years rotting in prison. Do I make myself perfectly clear," Wolfgang Adler ominously wondered.</p>
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  <p> </p>
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  <p>Regarding him thoughtfully for a few seconds, Grindelwald carefully considered his options. He did not know if he trusted this Adler person. In his better days he might have taken him on, just to make a point, and then taken over his organization.<br/>

But he has been out of commission for so very long, and was tired of fighting. A new start tantalized him. The possibility of freedom, that always evaded him, was finally real. This was not a dream, and he could not afford to pass on the chance to truly live again.</p>
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  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p><br/>
"I'm in, whatever this Voldemort of yours has, I can likely match, and I'd never refuse a good duel or two," Gellert declared with a hint of his former arrogance.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Dish on Millicent</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Millicent Bulstrode let herself into Adler manor with the key Wolfgang had given her. They'd only been together a month and a half but it had gotten serious fast. The day they met she was with Blaise and Kereston shopping in Knockturn Alley for books. Kereston, a year ahead of she and Blaise in school, and Blaise himself were the only two people who knew Millicent's dumb act was just that. They'd grown up together so they knew Millicent before she'd put her carefully crafted dumb act into play.</p><p> </p><p>Point was it was nice to hang with friends who just knew who she was. No pretending, no not saying what she thought unlike with Malfoy and his goons. They were necessary, but not people she enjoyed so her pissy attitude was one thing she didn't have to fake in their presence. Millicent had decided early on at Hogwarts that if she pretended to be dumb people expected very little of her plus people tended to let useful and interesting info drop around those they believed too thick to truly comprehend it. She believed that if Malfoy and his boys believed she was one of them, she'd be safe no matter what sort of shit hit the fan. So she played her contrived roll and very well if she said so herself...which she did.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Not until she met Wolfgang did she actually care that someone may not find her attractive. In school she made a point to wear slouchy clothes and allow her hair to hang in her face like a curtain behind which she could hide. The day she met Wolfgang, however, she was mortified not to be wearing a pretty dress with her hair up. The fact she wanted a guy to notice her was shocking enough, but the fact he actually did notice her and really liked her was even more shocking than that!</p><p> </p><p>Even now, she still couldn't believe the dashing handsome half giant wanted her. He wasn't big and squat like stupid Hagrid either, he was tall and medium of build, wide shoulders, neatly tailored clothes, well groomed and just hot, hot, hot! And though she was bigger than any of the girls in her class, when she stood beside him she looked dainty.</p><p> </p><p>The fact she was about to see him still made her pulse race, though they had been a couple for a few months. She gave a dreamy sigh, touching her long dark hair to make sure it remained in place. She'd put fancy Victorian hair combs into the sides to sweep it off of her face. They were her mother's combs and Ali Bulstrode had shown her how to use them recently, and thus far they'd even remained in place!</p><p> </p><p>Doing girlie things like using hair combs wasn't something Millicent generally had any part of. It would totally screw up her carefully crafted dumb act if she looked too good. She didn't want to be noticed but when she tried, she was really pretty. Tall, like an Amazon, she had a strong build but she wasn't overweight and her curves were definitely feminine. This was plain to see if she didn't wear loose baggy clothes and today she wore a flowing form fitting green summer dress. It looked great with the ornate gold combs in her dark hair and the emerald and gold necklace Wolfgang had recently given her.</p><p> </p><p>Hurrying down the hall she paused with her hand on the door of the library before opening it.<br/>
"It's me," she called. "They just went to work so I came right over."<br/>
The afore mentioned 'they' were her parents who were being right pains in the arse. Though they worked with Wolfgang, and had met him and learned of his strikes against Voldemort through her, felt the couple was moving too fast and tried to keep Millicent at home more. They worked long hours at the ministry so she could generally do what she liked without them knowing. They liked Wolfgang, and supported his efforts to band dark wizards together to work against Voldemort in the shadows where it was relatively safe. They obviously trusted him and believed in what he was trying to do, so it was Millicent's strong opinion that they should be pleased he cared about their daughter as well. They should be happy for Millicent and leave off the take it slow rubbish because when she and Wolfgang were together the world was a wonderful place.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Opening the door to the library she strolled in to see Grindelwald already sitting there. Damn, Bramble was fast and she'd missed the arrival. She studied the infamous/famous dark wizard, thinking for an old guy he seemed well preserved. He was thin, but his blue eyes were clear and his mind appeared sharp. A mop of long white hair hung down his back and a matching beard lay against the tattered robes that covered his chest. He held himself straight, though, as though he hadn't just gotten out of a fifty year stint in solitary. Yeah he could still be dangerous, Millicent decided. His hair could use a comb and he could probably do with a bath or three. She would've offered him all that but she figured he should take the potion first and at least she hadn't missed that.</p><p> </p><p>The idea of watching someone get younger before her very eyes was pretty exciting. Smirking she remembered how hard Snape had bitched about the illegal youthening potion last night. The trifling git was so scared he'd go to Azkaban for making such an illegal thing no matter the reason were he found out. Mainly because the Ministry were even Bigger Gits than Snape. He was overly nice to all Slytherins save for Millicent herself whom he falsely believed to be stupid and so an embarrassment to his house. He didn't even seem to dislike Crabb and Goyle, who definitely weren't faking their stupidity, so why her? It wasn't fair and that was why she didn't like him. Worst professor ever!</p><p> </p><p>Even when he found out she was faking it to keep under the Voldemort radar, he was no nicer to her. She wouldn't have ever let him know that she wasn't stupid had her parents not suggested him as one of those who may wish to be a part of what Wolfgang was doing. Seeing Snape in the summer was just weird. And the fact he was supposed to be so brilliant yet didn't appreciate her own brilliance was frankly disgusting. She believed her dumb act allowed her anonymity+ people said a lot around someone they believed to be stupid. It could be very useful, so there!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It was alright, though, because she'd decided not to return to Hogwarts for her 7th year. Shit was getting too real. Wolfgang had asked her to marry him and she was going to then she'd live here. No one could tell her what to do when she was mistress of her own manor. Two if you counted his other one in Germany. Her parents would adjust. He was older than she, but they didn't mind that. He was 28 to her 17, but she was of age and they did like him and respect what he was doing. They just thought the couple was moving too fast but Millicent didn't care.</p><p> </p><p>Before Wolfgang or Grindelwald could respond to her entrance, a howler arrived for Wolfgang from the git himself. As though Millicent thinking well deserved snarky thoughts of Snape had summoned him somehow, she thought with an inner shudder. She listened along with the others as his voice filled the room, though.<br/>
"Something has come up. We're having a meeting at Hogwarts and you're needed. After Grindelwald gets the potion, bring him along. He can eat here. We will meet in the great hall in half an hour but feel free to arrive early."</p><p> </p><p>Millicent felt her entire body go stiff and cold. This had to be about Voldemort. Though Wolfgang and how he was striking against Voldemort did make her feel safer, the idea of Voldemort was still terrifying. She looked between Grindelwald and her husband to be and silently reminded herself that with enough bad ass wizards on her side everything would be alright. It had to be, right?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Raising a glass to youth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gellert Grindelwald shrank away from the howler, its volume reminding him of his long years in prison and the never ending shrieks of the Krakonoch. His own guard monster turned against him and its head-splitting noises never allowing him to forget it. The indignity of having his own advanced magical bindings used against him by lesser wizards would never cease to be infuriating and he knew it. The insult of their awareness that he was, and would always be, better than them yet he was the one behind his own prison walls snug as a bug in a rug.</p><p> </p><p>The howler, being one of the few human voices he'd heard in decades, somehow served to thrust itself too harshly onto his awareness. It was too much sensory input, on the level of human interaction sharply reminding him of just how little he'd had in far too long.  He was so relieved when the message in the howler was done, and the seemingly half giant turned his gaze onto him once more, this time with a friendly smile.</p><p> </p><p>"As usual, Severus Snape has the impeccable timing, must be the precision required of brewing his potions. Ah, pardon my manners, you have nothing to worry about. This lovely stranger you have observed is my very own Lady Love, Millicent Bulstrode. As you shall see, she has quite a few uncanny abilities of her own and will keep your secrets as safely as her own," Wolfgang quickly reassured the dark wizard, noticing the uncertainty in his tired blue eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert's gaze flicked to the tall amazon looking young woman with long dark hair and a mildly curious expression.  The fact she had her own secrets was intriguing as well as reassuring.  For now these people may as well be his captors so at least they were interesting, and if he was fortunate, worthy.</p><p>"I look very forward to learning of any uncanny abilities," he told her.  He would've smiled decades ago, but he was tired and weak so smiles didn't come naturally at present.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Well I'm sure you'd like to be young above all else so here you go then, drink up," Wolfgang offered and Gellert greedily reached for the small green glass vial that the larger man extended to him. Without hesitation, he drained every last drop of the precious liquid. It was oddly sweet with a hint of salt. "Now what," Grindelwald wondered, feeling uncomfortable under the combined scrutiny of his new allies.  "How long before it completely takes effect?  Can you see any changes?"</p><p> </p><p>Touching his face for confirmation, he thought he detected improvements in the form of tightening and softening of his skin.  It seemed to smooth itself under his very touch, his hand feeling less wrinkles, unless of course it was all part of his imagination.</p><p> </p><p>"Remarkable indeed, what a marvelous spell," Wolfgang commented with satisfaction, offering a small ornate mirror to the dark wizard. Clutching at it, Gellert had to smile at his own visage.  The lines on his face were fading away before his eyes, the wrinkles began gradually vanishing, and his hair changed from platinum blonde to golden yellow. He was no longer old and getting younger by the minute.</p><p> </p><p>"It worked!" Gellert exclaimed excitedly and unnecessarily repeated the words, sharing his joy with the two strangers. "It really worked! I am young again, I can start all over again," the dark wizard rejoiced, relieved and overjoyed that his hopes fully materialized.  For his entire life, Gellert had unabashedly felt his own promising and brightly burning spirit. The fact it had gotten shut up in a prison, literally of his own making, had just seemed...too impossible and wrong.  As it turned out some higher powers agreed and for that Gellert Grindelwald was grateful, but if truth be told not entirely surprised.</p><p> </p><p>  <br/>"Very good, we better get ready then. I prefer to show up at the meeting earlier than later, makes me feel more in control, " Wolfgang admitted.<br/>"Millicent dear, am I forgetting anything, is there anything else we need in the way of preparation," the half giant inquired distractedly.</p><p> </p><p>Millicent was busy frowning at Grindelwald.  Watching him get younger had been interesting for a minute. She supposed.  Right now her concern was on the fact that Grindelwald's comment about starting all over nagged at her mind and worried her.  They couldn't have him abandoning their cause to go off and restart his own.  That would suck.  Thanks to Voldemort, the wizarding world was turned sideways enough as it was without him planning to ad to it.  Strolling right up to the great former dark lord, she tilted her head down to glare into his eyes.</p><p> </p><p> <br/>Grindelwald was a little above average in height and she was a bit more than that so she enjoyed looking down at him.<br/>"What, exactly, do you mean by starting all over again," she asked darkly.<br/>Idly she felt herself wondering if Blaise and the other few friends she trusted enough to be honest with would be impressed that she dared to bully the Great Grindelwald.<br/>"Because though everyone in our little network are all dark wizards, we're not feeling you pulling your old shit again.  We're not in the market for another dark lord after Voldemort and we're all independent. Not into being told what to do. So if you think to screw us over or start up your old crusades, don't. We have vampires with magic ready to tear your throat out if you misstep. We got you out to help stop the insane dark wizard who took up where you left off and took it to a whole new level. Call it karma that you're back out to help fix that. I don't care what you call it as long as you get it done."</p><p> </p><p>Well that had been invigoratingly easy, Millicent thought, exhilarated.  She tossed her hair back, then hoped one of the damn combs didn't fall out, thus ruining the effect. She so wasn't used to being girlie!</p><p> </p><p>Though seeing his young face in the mirror had brought him a burst of emotional strength, Gellert Grindelwald felt it melting away under the young woman's scathing words and hard glare.  She had nothing to worry about because nothing was worth returning to his own prison ever again.<br/>"Oh no, not in the least, I meant to start my life all anew, not my quest for Muggle domination. That part is definitely over. I am done with all of that," Grindelwald muttered apologetically to Millicent's thoughtful nod of acceptance.<br/>"As I was telling your...partner here, I can be a team player. I know I did not do so well the first time around. This time, I am not only young again, I am also wiser due to my unfortunate experiences. Rest assured, I meant nothing by it," the dark wizard elaborated, finding himself almost terrified of having to go back into captivity.  It wasn't about being repentant or believing that his views were wrong, because that wasn't the case. It was about the horror of feeling his life and potential wasting away behind his own prison walls and no ideals or goals for a better world were worth that.</p><p> </p><p>"Glad we settled all of that," Wolfgang Adler charmingly smiled. "We wouldn't want any misunderstanding to befall us during the meeting. Speaking of which, I believe it is time for us to get to Hogwarts," the half giant suddenly announced and reached for his owl headed bronze portkey that would quickly take them to the school.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Meeting their match</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In this chapter readers will see more into Blaise Zabini's life and circle of Slytherins and the match making spider in the web of destiny raises its head.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blaise was a mix of angry and embarrassed to be the center of a bloody meeting. Not everyone was present because some were still at work, but the staff table at Hogwarts was full of enough people he knew to cause him discomfort. Kereston Boxwood, a small blonde with sausage curls, dressed in casual summer clothes hurried to sit beside him. She, like Millie, was a childhood friend and until recently was in Slytherin house.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
Like he and Millie she had met Wolfgang while all three were out book shopping together in Knockturn Alley and like them she had brought her parents into Adler's little circle of dark wizards. Actually before meeting the 3 of them, Adler was working alone, so they were basically responsible for his circle of wizards. It consisted of a few school friends and their parents of like minds and then later some few Hogwarts professors and other ministry workers that Kereston's or Millie's parents felt could be trusted as well.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"I'm so sorry I didn't go out with you today," Kereston exclaimed, gray-blue eyes woeful as they looked into Blaise's own. "I just wanted to finish my work on that assignment and...I didn't think anything would happen with Bramble there! I feel awful!"</p><p> </p><p>Kereston had graduated this past year from Hogwarts and was taking continuing education units before beginning work at the ministry.<br/>
"It's alright," Blaise told her. "Really."<br/>
Kereston shook her head, causing her blonde curls to bounce around her small face. "No. We always said going out in a group was the safest way!"</p><p> </p><p>Blaise let out an exasperated sigh. How rapidly his mum could get word out when she was of a mind to do so. "Well hell, the dementors would've still been there group or not," he said with a shrug.<br/>
"I know but maybe we could've gotten away faster," Kereston said feebly.<br/>
"Or maybe not. Who knows, and I'm bloody fine," Blaise said, sighing in exasperation.<br/>
"Alright," Kereston relented. "But I'm still going next time, and I'll drag Millie too."</p><p> </p><p>"Do not fucking call me Millie," Millicent snarled, announcing her presence in her usual gentle loving way.<br/>
Blaise smirked as he looked up to greet Bulstrode, but his eyes fell on the blonde man who had to be Gellert Grindelwald first. He wore tattered robes and looked overly thin, but was young with sharp aristocratic features that were nearly delicate. His slender shoulders were straight and his head was high. Blaise studied him with open interest. He had no idea that his face could form a warm friendly smile until that moment, but he found himself smiling at Grindelwald with no effort what so ever.</p><p> </p><p>"I'd say welcome to Hogwarts, but no one in their bloody right mind wants to be here," he told the other young man as if sharing a secret or a joke or both. Rising he extended a hand. "Blaise Zabini. And you have to be Gellert Grindelwald. Welcome to life out of hell."  For Nurmengard could've only been that. It didn't take an expert to surmise as much.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert was startled by the dark young man's warm greeting, but not at all in an unpleasant way. Admittedly it was a sharp contrast to the manner in which he had been treated thus far by the giant and his lady troll, but the friendly hand the other extended was welcome.  "Thank you," he said, meeting Blaise's eyes and oddly surprised to find them an ice blue rather than dark like his tanned skin and short wavy jet black hair.  The contrast was pleasingly striking.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
The way Blaise spoke to him put Gellert in mind of the way one would address an old friend and somehow that felt right. It was as comfortable as if the two had always known one another.  Gellert couldn't remember ever feeling that way about anyone before. Of course there were followers who adored him right away and those who had to be gradually won over.  Though both were easy enough to read and to handle, neither had that entirely easy and comfortable feel.</p><p> </p><p>"Have a seat," Blaise invited, pulling out the chair to his other side, causing Millicent to scowl as she had obviously planned to sit there.  Gellert sat, finding it easy to give Blaise a grateful smile.  He knew he should have uttered some kind of nicety that could be expected of him, but could not bring himself to speak it, his resources still sadly lacking.  Blaise didn't seem to mind or notice any lack, though.</p><p> </p><p> "The food is actually decent, and I can imagine you're starved," Blaise said, ignoring Millie.</p><p> </p><p>"Indeed I am," Gellert agreed. Perhaps the potion had sped up his system, causing an increased appetite or perhaps he was already hungry earlier and hadn't noticed it due to being sedated by his jailers. Even now they were afraid that he'd somehow manage an escape if they did not keep him forcefully quiescent.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>With a huff, Millicent moved to sit to Kereston's other side, tugging Wolfgang by the arm to follow and take the chair to her other side. Bending her dark head, Millicent murmured something to Kereston. Blaise would've normally been curious as to what and wanting in on the conversation but just now he could care less. He was sitting beside Gellert Bloody Grindelwald, after all, and the other wizard was actually talking to him.</p><p> </p><p>"I can't remember the last time I've had a good meal," Gellert was saying with an almost shy smile.</p><p> </p><p>"Well there is always plenty, so eat as much as you like," Blaise told him.  "The elves should be serving it soon."  For his own part, he didn't have much of an appetite at present, but he would try to eat anyway. It would feel strange just sitting there while Grindelwald ate. Not that he usually cared about such things.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"So," Gellert asked, leaning slightly closer as he lowered his tone.  "Have you seen this dangerous wizard that I was rescued to help fight?"</p><p> </p><p>He found himself interested in Blaise's perception of the enemy so was disappointed when Blaise shook his head.</p><p> </p><p>"No. And I can't say that I'm sorry.  The man is quite unstable with a perplexing amount of power."</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Freedom is a Mixed Bag</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blaise's worrisome comments on the Dark Wizard who apparently threatened wizarding society enough to have some of their best and darkest setting him free to help gave Gellert the distraction he needed from his own emotions. He had to admit, at least to himself, that not interacting with anyone very much for over fifty years took its toll on his mind and mental resources. He had been fine with the Forest where Wolfgang Adler initially apparated them. The walk across the school grounds toward the castle itself wasn't a problem either. In fact the scenery was somewhat calming and the act of walking, refreshing. He found himself reveling in merely stretching his legs. Taking long strides and breathing in the fresh summer air. The act of simply stretching one's legs was a thing most took for granted. Not him. though. Freedom was, at the moment, quite the treasured novelty even if it didn't feel fully real yet.</p><p>As they neared the castle, it even occurred to him to tidy up his appearance a bit. It was a pity Wolfgang and his partner weren't courteous enough to allow him to do so before presenting him to the rest of whoever they were going to meet. He performed a hair removal charm on his face to rid himself of years of beard before giving his hair a good detangling charm. Granted having a wand would have made both faster, but he managed. As for the tattered state of his robes, there was nothing to be done there. The cloth had deteriorated to the point that working charms on it may have only worsened the issue to an embarrassing degree. At least a little personal grooming helped him to regain a bit of his dignity. </p><p>The meeting was a different matter, though. Even the few people around started pressing on him, overwhelming him in the most unusual of ways. It was somehow all to much for his senses to process. He was not used to having this problem and it was quite unsettling to say the least. Before his capture, there was no such issue. Back then, he was surrounded by his bubble of superiority, and driven by his determination. He had been quite comfortable talking to the masses. </p><p>Making speeches, convincing them, retorting to the doubters when need be, formulating his ideas with utter precision to make his plans sound very logical. Nurmengard changed all of that. He was alone for too long. Tormented for longer still, or so it seemed, by his own defenses, he started seeing threats even where none were directly issued.</p><p>The half giant's gestures seemed dangerous to him, his dark haired partner's whispered words to her little blonde friend, ominous. A part of him started expecting some sort of hurt, even if his rational mind could not quite articulate the nature of it. The other faces gathered at the table likewise felt unfriendly to him. Blaise was the sole exception. His manners seemed genuine, and that allowed the former dark lord a measure of comfort. He focused on the young wizard, and found himself to be calmer.</p><p>The puzzle of this new threat to the wizarding world served to quicken his mind, and that was good too. "It sounds as though this wizard is, in many ways, presenting the same sort of threat that Muggles do to our kind," he said. "Exactly," Blaise said, smiling and giving him a pleased nod. The light in the other's eyes reminded Gellert of how he felt when encountering anyone who understood a particularly necessary point that many others missed. That caused him to smile back. Being able to participate in this meeting, in this conversation even, without the fear of reprisal, turned out to be the medicine he needed to get better. At last, he felt himself beginning to relax.</p><p>As a result of a calmer mind, he recalled something he had overheard as he'd come into the Great Hall.</p><p>"Did I hear something about you and...Dementors?" Gellert wondered, his curiosity making him feel bolder still to venture a question.<br/>Because Blaise was already more intriguing than most he'd ever met, he looked very forward to the answer to his question.</p><p>Blaise gave a casual shrug. "Yeah, the Dementor thing...It's stupid really, but my insane parents are going to make me tell everyone about it shortly which shall be the second time I've done today so you'll hear about it then."</p><p>He sighed.</p><p>"They're certain Voldemort is after us now and as such they will find many creative and paranoid ways to make my life hell."</p><p>"I can't say I relate," Gellert said. "I lost my parents at a very young age and hardly remember them at all."</p><p>"I'm sorry," Blaise said, after an uncertain second of not knowing how to reply to that. "Sometimes they're alright. I mean they're good parents but when they get a bee in their hats about something it can get weird." </p><p>His gaze moved in some trepidation, across the room to his parents who were standing in front of a glowering Severus Snape and speaking animatedly. Snape was in charge of Hogwarts now, which is why they held the meeting here. It was a safe place to convene where their activities wouldn't be discovered. The former potions master was the new headmaster of Hogwarts, and as unhappy as some students may be about that who richly disliked him, none were more displeased about the turn of events than Snape himself.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. A Meeting of the Magics</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Out of a desire to return his thoughts to more pleasant matters, Blaise looked away from his parents.  Returning his attention to Gellert he spoke.  "The meeting is really about you. My dementor incident just added to the issue as far as my parents are concerned.  Everyone here was aware of the plan to free you, but other than Wolfgang who had the idea, I played the biggest part in orchestrating your get away."</p><p> </p><p>Gellert's blue eyes lit with a lively curiosity as he leaned eagerly toward Blaise.  "I'm very interested to hear how you pulled that off.  Though many of my followers were incarcerated in various prisons around the world, I am sure some managed to remain free.  If they had been able to set me free they obviously would have.  Unfortunately for all of us, my jailers used my own defenses against me.  I held some rather important and powerful people in Nurmengard and the magical defenses I used to keep them restrained were iron clad.  How did you manage to get around them?"</p><p> </p><p>Blaise couldn't help giving a pleased smile at that.  While he always knew he possessed talent far above most other wizards, Gellert Grindelwald's words had just raised his own opinion of his skills several notches higher!  </p><p> </p><p>"I was there when the plan was hatched to free you a week or so ago. It was inspired by a few things, first the discovery of the youthening potion in an old scroll Wolfgang won in a wizarding auction. He goes to those a lot,"' Blaise stated with a look of approval in the stylish half giant's direction before turning his attentive gaze back to Grindelwald.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert knew he would have once agreed with Blaise's assessment about Wolfgang. Talented people with curious hobbies were not easy to find, and he was the first to appreciate capable wizards. In this particular case, though, things weren't as cut and dry.  He could still appreciate his retrieval from prison, with the half giant's apparent participation. But the subsequent threats issued by Adler himself as well as his damsel who clearly made the habit of distressing others, left a sour taste in his mind.  Adler and Bulstrode clearly made a horribly good match.  He could understand caution better than most, but did not see a reason for threats he had not earned with his actions against them as he'd made none. They just didn't sit well with him, though he resolved to keep his thoughts to himself.</p><p> </p><p>Blaise seemed a truly nice wizard, at least in the way Gellert considered nice, but his loyalty to his friends might make him less objective on the matter, and Gellert refused to be the one to open his eyes to the truth. He still was not sufficiently comfortable in voicing his own opinions. Instead he focused on what Blaise was saying.  In spite of his feelings when it came to Wolfgang and his lady, Gellert was still interested in everything else.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"The other factor in the plan we hatched to free you was pure necessity because of Voldemort and the lack of progress made by the Ministry to handle him."</p><p> </p><p>"For real!" Kereston decided to chime in, giving a vigorous nod.<br/>
"I'm Kereston Boxwood, by the way," she told Grindelwald with a friendly smile. "I'm studying to work at the Ministry myself. I plan to have a career in politics that will eventually put me in the Minister's seat some day and let me tell you when I am people are going to die!"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Blaise couldn't help an amused chuckle at that, considering how maniacal Kereston's words had to sound.<br/>
"I mean people who deserve to die," Kereston explained hastily with a little laugh of her own and a sheepish smile in Gellert's direction. "People who have done enough bad to be a danger in general are not going to be locked up where they can simply escape later under my watch. They are going to die so they can't cause anymore trouble ever again. It's only logical and I never understood why the Ministry, most Ministries really are so bloody unnecessarily soft."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Kereston was a good friend, smart, level headed, dark enough to be interesting, but at times...very well most of the time, she never shut up!  Blaise was certain she would talk to a stone if she thought it would listen. She could talk and talk and talk. Usually the little blonde was saying something worth hearing, but still, she could produce more words than anyone else Blaise had ever known or even heard of!</p><p> </p><p>"So if you were Minister in my day, I'd not be here now I suppose," Grindelwald stated, giving a faint yet controlled smile of amusement.<br/>
Blaise found himself focusing intently on the other man's voice. It held a light German accent as could be expected and was slightly husky with an airy sort of breathy quality that somehow made one strain to listen. It was pleasantly riveting.<br/>
Kereston hesitated.  For a literal moment she was actually speechless. Flustered, she looked a bit put off, causing Blaise to chuckle again. Had anyone ever managed to shut Kereston up even for a moment?</p><p> </p><p>"Well..." And she was off again! Hardly missing a beat.</p><p>"No, probably not. I'd try to rehabilitate you because while you were, in essence wrong, I see where you started, honestly, and I do believe you meant well. Voldemort..." she shuddered. "He's just evil. Sick, twisted, evil, crazy. You were just fighting an impossible fight because there are simply too many Muggles. There were then and there are many more now because they breed like rabbits! It's insane! I don't hate them particularly or anything, but I do see where you were. I don't see why you didn't work on sterilizing them first to winnow it down, though," she added with a thoughtful frown.</p><p>"Because I honestly never considered it," Gellert said, expression a bit regretful at that frank admission.</p><p>If only Kereston and Blaise and even Wolfgang had been around and in his corner the first time he was this young, perhaps things would've been different, Gellert thought.  Then he had been the only true master mind behind his life's work for the Greater Good of wizarding kind.  He had competent wizards, loyal wizards who unquestioningly followed his orders and that in itself was a rare treasure.  Still more active and innovative minds may have changed the entire game...</p><p> </p><p>But no! He brought himself sharply out of that line of thinking because he couldn't afford to do otherwise.  It was over.  He had lost and the world had changed.  There was no going back. It simply wasn't safe. It wasn't worth the risk.  He focused his mind intently on the current conversation before the growing panic that began gripping him at such thoughts rose to an unbearable level.</p><p> </p><p>Glad that Kereston hadn't put her foot into her mouth or professed to wanting to kill Grindelwald, Blaise allowed himself a small silent sigh of relief before turning his attention fully back to the man in question. "Back to your release from Nurmengard, though, as I said I was there for the entire plan to free you and it was I who made my elf the charm he wore that unraveled anything magic in his vicinity. Elves can apparate around wards, but in case other spells were placed to hold you, I wanted to keep those at bay at least temporarily. I'm an enchanter. It's my main interest I suppose," he said, half proud as he usually was, and half embarrassed because...he was bragging to and hoping to impress Grindelwald! Perhaps the other wouldn't find the charm a big deal for all he knew.  Grindelwald had accomplished some astonishing magical feats, after all.</p><p> </p><p>"Those charms are extremely complex," Gellert said, honest admiration in his eyes for the other wizard's skill.  "Not to mention at least some of the creatures I placed as guards around Nurmenguard should not have been so easily effected by them due to the way said creatures function.  I'd love to see the charm, to study your work on it if I may."</p><p> </p><p>"Of course," Blaise said, beyond pleased that Grindelwald was that interested in his work.  "I'm sure Bramble still has it."</p><p> </p><p>"I told Blaise that he should make one for everyone in our group," Kereston enthused. "They should come in handy if we're ever directly attacked.  May that never happen, of course," she added hastily.  "Just if it does, I think something that should dispel curses before they hit us would be useful."</p><p>"Just a little," Gellert said with an amused smile.  "Perhaps the way the charm worked, combined with your elf's own magic added another productive element," he told Blaise thoughtfully.  "The alchemy of magic as it were.  It is often in the mixture where the wondrous things occur! That element could've been what got him around all the various magics of the creatures I have on guard."  He shrugged.  "I must admit to not knowing much about elves or their magic.  I never found the subject particularly intriguing, but perhaps I was wrong.  Now I'm thinking that is something I should remedy."</p><p> </p><p>He smiled at Blaise,   and Blaise felt himself thrilling to Grindelwald's presence in a way he never had with anyone else.  When Gellert spoke of the alchemy of magic, Blaise felt his emotions rising to a near fever pitch of excitement. Until today he had never felt anyone to be truly on his level when it came to understanding the depth and complexity of enchantments. He hoped to tap into a wellspring of knowledge when meeting Grindelwald and he was not disappointed. Even better than that, Gellert was impressed with his work.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. A League of Their Own</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In this chapter we see more into the lives of the Slytherins we know and love while getting to know some who never had a reason to be noticed by Potter. More Slytherins is always a good thing!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eager to show off his work to Gellert, as he'd expressed a strong interest in seeing it, Blaise glanced around for Bramble.  The elf stood between his parents as they spoke to professor Snape, nearly hidden by his mother's long skirts.<br/>
"Bramble," he called.  "Would you come here for a moment?"</p><p>The elf hurried over, giving a slight bow as his round eyes flicked between Blaise and Gellert.  Only mild curiosity flickered in his stoic gaze.<br/>
"Yes?"</p><p> </p><p>"Look," Blaise began, suddenly hoping his mother hadn't let Bramble have it over the Dementor situation. "You didn't get into trouble over the stupid Dementor thing, did you? I'll tell her again it was my fault, because it was, of course. And besides, nothing happened anyway."</p><p> </p><p>"Bramble did not," the elf replied with a slight shrug.</p><p>"Good," Blaise said, relieved. "Now do you have that pendant I made for you to wear when getting Gellert out of Nurmengard? He'd like to see it."</p><p> </p><p>The elf nodded quickly, spindly long fingered hands reaching up to his neck. He unclasped the silver chain and drew the pendant out from under his tunic where he'd worn it against his chest.  Moving closer, he extended it to Gellert.</p><p> </p><p>"Thank you," Gellert said, taking the pendant carefully into his hand.  "I would also like to thank you for getting me out of that place. And you," he added, turning to Blaise with a warm smile, "for making it possible.  I am fortunate that a wizard as great as myself was born in time to get me out of there before I died."</p><p>His smile widened and he winked.  Was he joking about Blaise being as great a wizard as himself? He had to be, but it felt very nice nonetheless.  Before he could reply, Gellert's gaze had dropped to the pendant in his hand.</p><p>"Very interesting complex work," he said. "I'm impressed!"</p><p> </p><p>Gellert Grindelwald appreciated his skills with enchantments! Blaise was pleased enough to hope he wasn't puffing up with the pride of it or being too obvious.  Compliments never moved him much before, because for him they were only the simple truth.  Coming from Grindelwald himself, though, the compliments somehow felt more grand...and shiny...and...impressive?<br/>
"It was my pleasure. Honestly when Wolfgang had the idea of freeing you, I felt rather stupid for not thinking of it myself. You were always a wizard I've admired, to be frank."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He chuckled. "And until recently I never believed I'd be fortunate enough to have a late lunch with you! Your interest in enchanted objects along with your magical skill is admirable. I don't have...really anyone on my level with whom I can speak on such matters," Blaise admitted unabashedly. He never hid the fact he thought well of himself, and he wasn't going to start now.   Everything he thought was true, after all, so why should he?</p><p> </p><p>"I can relate to that," Gellert said with a nod, eyes still on the small silver medallion in his hand.</p><p> </p><p>"Do you think you can replicate that," Kereston asked him.</p><p>"Probably. After a bit of studying the various layers of nondetection, deflect and...is that spell reversal?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yes," Blaise said, hearing the pleased smile in his own voice.</p><p>"So you can help Blaise to make more of them? It would get it done so much faster and we'd all feel safer once we each had one I'm sure," Kereston said.</p><p>"Of course," Gellert said.  "I'd be glad to." He turned to Blaise.  "It will go faster if you just tell me how you wove them together and what that fourth layer is, then I can just begin the work without having to study it first."</p><p> </p><p>"Of course," Blaise agreed readily.  "The fourth layer is nondetect and the fifth is enhancement of all of the other four.  As soon as someone buys us more little silver pendants, we can get started," he added with a pointed look at Kereston.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
Gellert had missed the fifth layer. He was either badly out of practice or the boy was better than good, he thought. He didn't mind if both were true, though the later would be far more exciting. He hadn't ever had anyone to work with who could truly match his own skills. For this reason he had always been easily bored.  Perhaps that would change if Blaise continued to be as intriguing as he was now.</p><p>"That's Mag's thing. She does the wearable," Kereston said in response to Blaise's hint that she handle the acquisition of the required pendants.  "She should be here soon."</p><p> </p><p>"That sounds good, thanks," Blaise told Kereston.</p><p> </p><p> Magritte Westcraven had been two years ahead of them in school, so graduated at the end of Blaise and Millie's fifth year and Kereston's sixth. Her parents worked at the Ministry with Millie and Kereston's so the 3 were childhood friends but Blaise didn't know her well. Both he and Mag were quiet by nature so never really got a conversation started. She was more interested in magical creatures and books than people, and when she was at Hogwarts, he usually saw her with her face in a book. Even at lunch, she'd read or chat up the Bloody Baron.</p><p> </p><p>They were all doing their bit right now, working together to stay safe and help as much as they could though apparently only a certain inept young wizard named Harry Potter could truly do much against Voldemort in the end as prophecy would have it.  The sudden and delicious smell of food brought Blaise's gaze to the table before him.  Lunch had arrived in the form of heaping platters of pot roast swimming in gravy and surrounded by vegetables and potatoes. There were also large platters of salad and trays of hot dinner rolls.</p><p> </p><p>"Where did it come from," Gellert asked. The food smelled better than anything he could remember at that moment. He didn't even bother trying to recall the last time he'd had a truly good meal.</p><p> </p><p>"It's the house elves who serve Hogwarts," Kereston explained.  "They work behind the scenes mostly for whatever reason. Things just seem to appear...Like magic," she concluded with a little giggle at her own wit.  "Dig in, there's always plenty."</p><p> </p><p>Gellert lifted the fork which was suddenly beside the plate of food before him. He hadn't even had to fill it himself!  Taking his first delicious bite, he reminded himself to eat slowly and for the most part, he succeeded. </p><p> </p><p>After the first bite, Blaise realized he was hungrier than he'd thought.  So focused was he on his food that he didn't notice Mag enter.  He heard Millicent speaking quietly and looked up to see the pretty willowy red head seated across from her.  She was listening to Millicent with a rare look of attentive interest on her face.  Their conversation paused, however, when Kereston caught sight of Mag and waved eagerly.</p><p> </p><p>"Blaise and Gellert are both going to make the medallions that unravel magic before it touches the wearer for all of us. They just need more pendants. You know like the one Blaise made for Bramble to wear when getting Gellert out of Nurmengard. Can you get some fast?"</p><p> </p><p>"I should be able to," Mag said.  "I'll check into it after we're finished here."</p><p> </p><p>"Great," Kereston smiled happily and Blaise turned to Gellert.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"I hope the food is better than whatever they were giving you at Nurmengard," he said, lifting his own fork for another bite of potroast.  Gellert was replying that indeed it was when Sabra Zabini's imperious voice spoke right over him.</p><p> </p><p>"Hold on just a moment, young man," she called, moving purposefully toward Blaise. "We called this meeting to talk about what happened to you today along with all the implications it carries. So you stand up and tell everyone what occurred in Knockturn alley today before you eat, and don't dare leave out a single detail!"<br/>
Her gaze took in the rest of the table and she gave them a regal nod of greeting. "Go ahead and eat the rest of you," she said, granting permission as though she had every right to make them stop eating if she so chose. </p><p> </p><p> Sighing, Blaise stood, placing his fork back on the plate with an annoyed clatter as he did. "I went book shopping in Knockturn alley. The shop keeper closed for lunch. I waited for Bramble outside so he'd know where I was, because if I went home he'd be looking for me at the shop. He'd gone to free you," he said, nodding to Grindelwald, and giving a slight smile. Somehow having him there made the situation both better and worse at the same time.</p><p> </p><p> "I was reading while I waited and began to feel odd in a way I still can't exactly explain. Just in short, like something wasn't right. Then I noticed the temperature drop. It was quite hot out and then in less than a second I was wishing I'd brought along a cloak. In the next second I saw the dementors. They were suddenly everywhere. I didn't want Bramble to come into that looking for me so took a few seconds to write a message to him with my wand on the outside of the shop. I told him to meet me at home. </p><p> </p><p> Of course I didn't sign my name, only the letter B so that he could be certain the message was from me. I was ready to apparate home then but they were there, 2 of them grasping my arms. One asked me where Potter was and used my name. I told it I had no idea and asked how it knew my name. It wasn't interested in telling me and tried to snog me instead so I twisted away and apparated out of there. It was disturbing, but Mum thinks it's some big deal that I didn't feel particularly depressed. I don't know it wasn't that long that I was exposed," Blaise said with a careless shrug.</p><p> </p><p>Blaise didn't mind bragging, and knew he was better than most his age at most things, but when it came to this, he felt his mum was making a big deal out of nothing too impressive.<br/>
"I didn't like the fact they knew my name, though," he admitted, then sat back down and picked up his fork with a pointedly dark look at his mother. </p><p> </p><p>Sabra Zabini wasn't interested in relaxing, and began to pace the length of the staff table, her long dark red dress swishing around her in silky folds as she did, her high heals making rapid clicking sounds on the floor as if tapping out a beat.<br/>
Snape's sallow face wore a frown of concern as he came to sit at Magritte's side, attending to his own plate of food. </p><p> </p><p>It was then that Blaise noticed the large white owl on the man's black robed arm. The bird studied the food consideringly then hopped down onto the table and began helping itself to the contents of Snape's plate. Snape with a pet was odd. Blaise didn't see him as the pet sort. For his part, Blaise had never wished to own one. When he had to buy one in his first year he'd gotten a tarantula but the thing got away, perhaps because he'd forgotten to feed it. He'd never gotten another. He simply wasn't interested in caring for things, nor did he need its companionship.</p><p> </p><p>"Sit down and eat, Sweet Heart," Blaise's dad coaxed his Mum. She was reluctant, but allowed him to take her arm and guide her to a seat near the end of the table.<br/>
"What are we doing about this," Sabra asked Wolfgang pointedly. "We did so much to keep our family safe... To keep my baby safe and dementors know his name! How? Why?"</p><p> </p><p>"Probably Voldemort, but the why is yet a mystery," Snape said dryly in-between bites of pot roast. "I told you that you can all remain here while we get it sorted. If I hear anything, of course I'll do what I can to divert interest," he concluded, obviously referring to his under cover work among Voldemort's followers.</p><p> </p><p>"We have to stay here? I am to stay here in this stupid second rate school even during the summer? This is Hell," Blaise exploded.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Summer School?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In this chapter we learn how difficult it can be for two dark wizards to have a conversation when other people around won't stop talking!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blaise rarely showed or even felt much emotion so his outburst had most eyes on him.  Uncaring at present, his indignant glare remained firmly in place.</p><p>"We will do whatever is necessary to keep our family safe. It should hardly matter if you're shut up in here or at home,"Sabra told Blaise coldly, completely unruffled by his state of outrage.</p><p> </p><p>Was she bloody mad, Blaise silently wondered.  Were he not stuck here, he could visit Gellert at Wolfgang's daily. He often hung with Millie anyway and these days she practically lived at Wolfgang's manor.  With Gellert staying with Wolfgang, he'd have complete access. Not so while shut up in this stupid school because of his bloody paranoid parents, though!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Based on what I have just heard of the situation something tells me your parents are not truly insane, and your encounter with the dementors was unusual, I have an instinct for such things," Gellert murmured, leaning toward him and giving a warm smile.</p><p> </p><p> When Blaise had told his story, Gellert found himself listening with avid interest, even forgetting to eat for a moment. Blaise's story was impressive. Evading the Dementor's touch, that was...brilliant, unprecedented, unheard of. That in itself would have been enough for him to appreciate the young Zabini even more, but his appreciation took a different turn than he'd anticipated and this left him unsettled.</p><p> </p><p>It happened when, during his relating of the dementor incident, Blaise had referred to him at one point and nodded in his direction. Gellert found himself feeling oddly flattered and even mildly flustered much in the way those who admired him back in his younger days appeared to feel when he acknowledged them.  In the unlikely event that someone had actually noticed his reaction and asked him what was the matter with him, and why he was blushing, Gellert would not have even known how to explain his strange responses to the intriguing young man.</p><p> </p><p>Blaise was taken aback by Gellert's words and found his anger fading as a modicum of surprise replaced it. He could've been disappointed that Gellert may actually be taking his parents side, but he was more curious to know why instead.  "Explain?"  He leaned toward Gellert, speaking quietly as the other had done.  "Were it anyone other than you I'd not be interested, considering the mood I'm in," he added darkly.</p><p> </p><p>"Other than me," Gellert asked dumbly.  He felt his own eyes widening and he hoped to any god who may care that he was not blushing again...because he did not blush...ever!  And there was absolutely no reason to blush now.  What was going on with his emotions?  Had the prolonged captivity ruined his ability to socially interact appropriately?</p><p> </p><p> "Oh, thank you, I didn't realize," he continued, abashed and not even knowing why. He should have been used to compliments. Showered with accolades at Durmstrang, before he was expelled for political reasons, admired by noble witches and wizards for his charm and skills, he never had any problems with self esteem.  Still it seemed that captivity may have taken its toll on him in more ways than he'd guessed. It could be equally likely that this specific compliment, from this young man meant more to him than other compliments in the past.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Even as he thought about it, he could not guess why. The young Zabini was pleasant enough, and friendly, his confidence did not hurt either. But he'd barely gotten to know the wizard. And yet there was something about him. Perhaps Gellert could sense more achievements in Blaise's future, he just could not decide. He only knew that he found this exchange between them...most comforting somehow.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
Blaise couldn't help letting out a laugh at Gellert's obvious surprise at his high regard.<br/>
"Modesty was the last thing I expected from you," he said without even thinking.</p><p> </p><p>"And usually you'd be right," Gellert said, grinning in response to the boy's contagious laugh.</p><p>"I rarely come across an equal, though so it's..."</p><p> Before he could finish speaking, Blaise's mother shushed them with a frown.  Blaise was nearly lightheaded though. Had Gellert Grindelwald just called him an equal?  Perhaps Blaise read the man all wrong, but Grindelwald didn't at all seem the sort to heap empty compliments on a person for no apparent reason.  He couldn't bloody believe his mother had just shushed he and bloody Grindelwald of all people! Grindelwald! As though he was just another of Blaise's school friends! Her inadequate reason was soon apparent enough. Wolfgang was speaking, answering his mother's earlier demand for what was to be done about the dementor situation. </p><p>"There is a spell that one can ad to a patronus or cast instead of one if necessary. It is a gleefulness charm and should also serve to keep dementors at bay as should the walls of this estemed castle.  The gleefulness spell produces feelings of euphoria much like those sought by those muggles who enjoy...how do they say, getting high," the German half giant concluded.</p><p> </p><p>"Really? We're gonna get high to evade dementors," Millicent asked, then gave a gleeful laugh. "I fucking love it!"</p><p> </p><p>"Millicent, Language! Just because your parents aren't here to hear that potty mouth doesn't mean I won't be telling them about it," Sabra Zabini snapped.</p><p> </p><p>"Sorry," Millicent murmured, ducking her head so that her long dark hair fell over her face in that old characteristic way she used to hide. Blaise just bet she was still smiling under that curtain of black hair, though.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"That's a cool idea," Kereston told Wolfgang.  "But if we could figure out a way to kill the horrid things, that would be awesome!"</p><p> </p><p>"Your friends think big," Gellert murmured to Blaise.   "I respect that."</p><p> </p><p>Blaise gave him his customary lazy grin.  "I only make friends with the best," he proclaimed, also keeping his voice just above a whisper in hopes of avoiding another shush from his Mum.   "I must say, though, Wolfgang's gleefulness charm does have its appeal.  I'd certainly like to feel euphoric if I am to be stuck here for the rest of the summer, but apparently the dementors aren't a huge problem where I'm concerned.  He sighed then took another bite of pot roast. He decided to attempt pursuing a conversation with Grindelwald in hopes they would just be left to it and his mum would settle down and eat her bloody pot roast.</p><p>"Back to our earlier conversation, though. Why is it that you don't feel my parents are over reacting to this dementor thing?"</p><p> </p><p>Gellert's expression grew serious, all traces of amusement gone from his now steady blue gaze as he regarded Blaise.  "If this Voldemort is as dangerous as you say, and the dementors are aware of you when they should not be, it is truly wise to gather more information before you're back out on the streets where they can try getting at you again."  His eyes suddenly grew shadowed and without moving, he somehow seemed to draw in upon himself.  "Believe me, I wish someone had given me that advice before my incarceration."</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"But I got away from them once. And besides," Blaise began then sighed. "Oh hell. I have no idea how they could've known my name... I suppose you're right." He gave a resigned sigh.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
His mum was back to her pacing, apparently uninterested in the pot roast for the time being.  "My concern is why the Death Eaters or the Dementors or He who needs to die are taking enough interest in my son to know his name," Sabra said, continuing to pace. Of course she wasn't giving up, Blaise thought with a sigh, though he knew her concern over them knowing his name was a valid one and he didn't like it either. He didn't like feeling frightened and he did which annoyed him to no end.  His emotions were ice, and that's how he liked it so this fear and uncertainty made him feel weak.</p><p> </p><p>As Sabra Zabini continued speaking, her voice and expression grew more and more frustrated. "It makes me wonder what else they know. What if they know I never killed even my first husband much less had 6 others! What if they know this and wonder why we went through so much trouble to blacken our family name," Sabra demanded. Blaise wasn't sure if she was going to explode something or cry, and he didn't relish the prospect of either.</p><p> </p><p>"And staying here is a good idea, but if Sabra is right won't us hiding attract notice as well if our activities are being monitored," Geo Zabini spoke up, more quietly concerned this time than his wife, but concerned openly nonetheless.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes there could be a potential issue either way," Kereston agreed, frowning. "And as we can't be sure what Voldemort or the dementors know or how they know it, we should prepare for anything we can. I'm thinking it'd be good if we could all be linked and all be able to get to one another fast in times of danger.  Then we would have plenty of back up if there was an issue and we could keep one another safe. I'm thinking about something like a group portkey we can activate.  If one of us uses it, it activates to draw us all to a particular place. We've got two wizards sitting right here with talents in the art of making magical items, fortunately for us."</p><p>She smiled at Gellert and Blaise.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"The two of you can work on something like that together for all of us. We have the entire group together enough so if you need to personalize items to connect all of us you'd have plenty of opportunities. I understand this is no simple matter, but you're safe here while you work on whatever you two can come up with."</p><p> </p><p>"That's decent thinking, Boxwood," Snape complimented. The words of praise didn't surprise Blaise for Kereston was in Slytherin house until she'd graduated this year and Snape was generally more decent to Slytherins. That and it really was a good idea. Blaise nodded thoughtfully in agreement, then looked to Gellert who gave him a smile.</p><p> </p><p>"I've been ready to get to work on something for over fifty years!"</p><p> </p><p>Blaise smiled back.</p><p> "If you were planning to stay with Wolfgang, why not remain here? The Slytherin boys dorm where I sleep is plenty big and we're the only ones here now. We'd have lots of time to work and we can have Mag or Kereston or Wolfgang bring us in anything we need in the way of materials once we decide exactly what we're making. I even picked up 2 books dealing with enchantments today before everything happened, so we can go over those later in case they have anything useful for our current needs. I apparently got myself stuck here to get them so they should be worth something," he concluded darkly.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
It was pleasingly ironic, he had to admit, that he was stuck here wondering how the dementors knew his name yet still got to actually work and hang with Grindelwald of all people!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Of Fantastic Beasts...the dark way</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gellert was thrilled not to be staying under the roof of the half giant and his lady troll. Even more thrilled that he would be with Blaise instead.  Only the young man's comment about staying in the Slytherin dorms took him aback, and now he was able to address the question that had risen in his mind.</p><p> </p><p>"You are still a student then? How old are you, if I may ask?"</p><p> </p><p>"I'm seventeen," Blaise replied with a shrug.  "This next year shall be my last at Hogwarts."</p><p> </p><p>"You remind me a lot of myself then, only I'd just gotten expelled by small minds because of politics," Gellert said.</p><p> </p><p>"You look seventeen yourself," Blaise told him.  "That potion truly worked even better than I expected. Then again I suppose I didn't really think about how much youth I thought it would give you.</p><p> </p><p>"I do," Gellert asked, blinking, then giving a pleased smile.  "I knew it had worked, but I hadn't imagined how well!"</p><p>He looked around, thinking to thank Wolfgang Adler once again for his youth and new lease on life, but the half giant was speaking to Blaise's parents and he didn't wish to annoy anyone by interrupting.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"I read that you were expelled from Durmstrang for your experiments on animals," Blaise said frankly.  "It's odd that such a dark school cared. I mean I can see this place being all fluffy, but Durmstrang?"</p><p> </p><p>A disgusted look crossed Gellert's face, his blue eyes scathing, though not toward Blaise.  "Oh they didn't care about that. They cared about politics and keeping the families of certain students happy.  My name meant nothing to them, and I was too progressive for them to handle, so that got me put out."</p><p> </p><p>"Well you obviously didn't need them anyway," Blaise said, giving Gellert a warm smile.</p><p> </p><p>"Bloody right, I didn't," Gellert said giving a merry laugh, tossing his blonde curls over one shoulder as he did.</p><p>"Kereston is correct. Killing the dementors would be optimal, of course," Wolfgang said. His words drew the attention of both Blaise and Gellert, their private conversation put on hold for the moment.</p><p> </p><p> "I have read that physically attacking them does not work.  They merely regenerate or vanish away to reappear elsewhere later or even in the same spot from which they vanished.  The way to damage or weaken them seems to be more essence related.  In other words in a nonphysical manner.  Happy thoughts or a good mood seems to be the antidote to their affects. Presumably because the good mood originates from the essential self and they are repelled by magic of essences, as is demonstrated by their fear of the Patronus.</p><p> </p><p>I have experimented with other dark creatures, and it seems that certain spells that incorporate the magic of the phoenix reduces their potency.  Unfortunately, Dementors are unique, hard to obtain and experiment on, so my results are so far inconclusive.  Perhaps phoenix magic could harm them and perhaps not, but it is also pure and essence related in many aspects.</p><p> </p><p>Other Dark creatures also appear to be subject to advanced transfiguration, depending on their habitat, but the Dementors might be immune. And yet, I have high hopes that my diffusion spell would interact properly with their composition, making them dissipate like a dark fog.</p><p> </p><p>I still have to perfect the diffusion spell though," he explained in way of clarification. "It involves much preparation and most of those who could perform it, could hold their Patronus for a longer duration of time. The only practical advantage of my spell, is that it can target several Dementors at a time, and would decrease their ability to regenerate afterwards, the way they do after a Patronus.</p><p> </p><p>If I am correct, and there is no certainty yet, this particular diffusion spell may be able to even kill them permanently. All this is highly speculative of course, and should not be tried without a dire need. But I will circulate my notes among our members, because any information which doesn't hurt, could potentially help.  I can answer any questions now on the matter if I wasn't clear on any particular aspect," Wolfgang concluded, smiling in his usual good natured way.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
This was why people stood with him, Blaise thought. Because he usually had a good answer for most problems, or at least a good plan for how to get one.  His skills as well as his magical experience were impressive as well. Adler had trained with some of the most skilled wizards around the world thanks to his father's lucrative business connections and even people like Snape could be impressed.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
For his part, Gellert allowed himself to bask in the fact he was sitting in a room with dark wizards who did not blanch at Adler's mention of experimenting with dark creatures.  A man after his own heart at least a little.  Gellert wasn't yet ready to forgive him and his troll lady for their unreasonably rude and harsh treatment of him, but at least he understood why Adler had considered Gellert worth freeing where many fools would not.  They could appreciate one another's methods and the spell of which Wolfgang spoke did sound very intriguing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"I only have one question so far," Kereston said eagerly.  "Will you teach us the diffusion spell?"</p><p> </p><p>Wolfgang smiled.  "Of course.  How does tomorrow evening sound to everyone?  It's only fair to allow Mr. Grindelwald to rest a bit first as it is a difficult spell to work."</p><p> </p><p>As everyone nodded, Gellert nearly said that he could learn it right now simply to prove a point and to save face.  If Adler believed him unable to perform complicated magic at any time, he would show the half giant just how uninformed he was.  But perhaps the man was truly being considerate.  His words had held no sarcasm, after all.  Besides, Gellert knew he wasn't fully at his best yet and there was probably no need to prove himself to anyone.  His reputation spoke for itself and that was why he was free.  Nonetheless he still wasn't ready to trust Wolfgang or his lady.  They had shown their true colors when alone with him and he hadn't liked what he saw.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Gellert and I can spend the rest of today on research, and tomorrow we'll be ready to start working on those medallions as well as the portkey type items Kereston was suggesting," Blaise said.</p><p>"That sounds good," Wolfgang nodded.  Gellert relaxed a little at that. At least the half giant didn't feel him unable to research on his first day out of prison.  As most everyone else returned their attention to their food, Gellert turned to Blaise. Something had occurred to him inspired by what Wolfgang had said of his diffusion spell. "There is another creature who may be able to attack dementors. I would at least be interested in watching the result of such an attempt."</p><p> </p><p>"Really!"  Blaise couldn't remember the last time he was this interested in talking to anyone.  Everything Gellert said was stimulating in some way or other. Rarely did Blaise ever feel himself completely engaged with people.  Often he felt himself to be at least a partial observer, but with Gellert he was all in.  He made Blaise laugh out loud where others only got  a smile or brief chuckle.  The way he thought of magic, echoed how Blaise's own mind worked as well as complimenting it with fresh ideas and concepts.</p><p> </p><p>"Are you aware of a creature called Mara," Gellert asked.</p><p> </p><p>"It's some sort of horse of nightmares or something, isn't it," Blaise asked.</p><p> </p><p>"Indeed," Gellert nodded.  "A horse of nightmares and shadows.  She nearly tore my mind apart in Nurmengard more than once."</p><p> </p><p>He found himself almost sounding proud, like a father speaking of the child's achievements. He had summoned her to guard the prison walls after all, bound her with intricate charms woven into her chains. He had coerced her magical abilities to serve him and she had served him well. She held the minds of all those he imprisoned in Nurmengard until the tables were turned and the Ministry stole his prison, turning all the defenses he had put in place against him.</p><p> </p><p>It was ironic, odd, and almost made him lose himself in the unending stream of self pitying memories, but then Blaise spoke.  His deep confident voice was like a lifeline to the present to which Gellert gladly clung.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Enchanters at Work</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I'm sorry," Blaise said, lightly touching Gellert's shoulder in a gesture of obvious sympathy.  Gellert blinked, wondering for an instant what he had said to illusive such a response.  Oh yes, it must have been his mention of the Mara's abilities...Likely it was the bit about his mind nearly being torn apart more than once in Nurmengard.  Now that he was free, thinking of what had happened to him in such blunt yet true terms was a bit jarring and he felt his body wanting to draw in on itself. He shook his head to clear it then forced a smile.</p><p>"I survived and if all this is real, my mind appears to be intact."</p><p>He was proud of that and felt his shoulders straightening as he spoke the words. His mind was intact. He'd made it out!</p><p> </p><p>"Thank you," he added, the words feeling odd but somehow necessary as he met Blaise's eyes. No one had been sympathetic or even considered what he was going through in a way that indicated they even truly understood the concept, but Blaise's simple gesture spoke volumes.  Of course he wasn't looking for sympathy and from others, it could've even been offensive, but from Blaise, it only felt supportive.  Having a friend felt nice, and he supposed this was what they were becoming. Friends.</p><p> </p><p>"So you're thinking the Mara could be used to attack Dementors with...sort of nightmares of happiness," Blaise asked and Gellert nodded enthusiastically.</p><p>"Yes! Exactly."</p><p>And it was no longer a surprise that the other young man completely understood his line of thinking.</p><p> </p><p>"So how do we control Mara," Blaise asked.</p><p> </p><p>"It can be tricky," Gellert replied.  "I captured the one who tormented me in Nurmengard, with the intention that she deter the minds of anyone who would attempt to release any of the prisoners I held. In essence, she served as a prison guard until she was made to turn on me."</p><p> </p><p>He could boil with indignant rage at that, but as it would serve no productive cause to do so just now, he continued with his explanation. "There was only the one and she was very difficult to catch. This is because they usually travel in herds and as such they can protect one another if one of them is pursued.  Before being fortunate enough to find the one I had, I attempted ensnaring one from a herd, but each would always slip through my traps, then pass word of me along to the others.  For this reason I failed in each of my attempts to make a capture until I was fortunate enough to locate one who traveled alone for whatever reason.  Through several layers of conjuration and compulsion I managed to trap her and bind her with magical chains which I then bound to Nurmengard castle."</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"Do you think if you and I combined our efforts, that we would have more luck capturing them," Blaise asked.  "If separating one from the herd sets off too much of a warning, I say we just take an entire herd. I bet with our magic combined, and each of us working different layers of the spells you used, it would work!  This method would allow things to proceed much faster and they'd not have time to escape. What do you think?"</p><p> </p><p>Blaise's excited enthusiasm gave way to mild uncertainty as he posed his question.</p><p> </p><p>"I think it could work," Gellert said slowly.  "I had no one who could match my skill during my earlier attempts, but yes.  If we work as you described I think we could capture at least some of the herd if not all before they could react to escape us!"</p><p> </p><p>As it turned out, Blaise's enthusiasm was contagious, and Gellert found himself thrilling with eager excitement at the process.</p><p>"I can show you the required spells before we make the attempt.  We have only to decide what to bind our Mara to once they are captured."</p><p> </p><p>"Well as we have no prison, why not bind them directly to us," Blaise asked.  "Then they will serve as our own personal form of protection or whatever else we will need from them. You spoke of magical chains.  What if we use real ones.  We could wear heavy chain bracelets and link the Mara to those. Then when we wish to control them, we can..." and he lifted slender hands in a gesture of pulling on the reins of a horse.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert let out a pleased chuckle.  He very much appreciated the finesse in that.  "Sounds good!  I'm eager to make the attempt."</p><p> </p><p>As they spoke, other conversations went on around them but neither paid attention or even took notice. At least, not until Voldemort's name was mentioned.</p><p><br/>
"I would like your thoughts on Voldemort as soon as possible, Mr. Grindelwald, as I am hoping you will have some tricks to add to my own when it comes to bringing him down," Wolfgang said.  "Because we had to come to Hogwarts quicker than planned today due to the Dementor incident, I forgot the folder of information I compiled on him for you to go over. I will bring it to you tomorrow, though."</p><p> </p><p>Gellert nodded.  "I am eager to see what this particular wizard is made of. I look forward to discovering what makes him so special."</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"We will meet again tomorrow at breakfast, then," Wolfgang said.  "Until then good evening to you all."</p><p>He and Millicent took their leave then and Kereston soon followed.  Mag left to look into acquiring the silver pendants that Blaise and Gellert required for the various wearable charms they would be making for everyone.  "Severus is kindly permitting your father and I to sleep in the staff wing for the time being," Sabra told Blaise.  "I am sending Bramble to buy Gellert a few basic necessities such as a tooth brush and comb. He will leave those with your things in the Slytherin dorm. I had him put your trunks in the seventh year dorm because that's where you'll be in a few weeks anyway. I assume you will be kind enough to let Gellert wear some of your clothes until he can get himself some new ones.  Bramble packed a few trunks full so neither of you will run out for several days."</p><p> </p><p>"Of course. That's fine," Blaise said.</p><p> </p><p>"Thank you, Mrs. Zabini.  That is very kind," Gellert said, inclining his head to Blaise's mother.</p><p> </p><p>With Snape off to help Blaise's parents get themselves settled, the two found themselves completely alone in the Great Hall.  Blaise let out a sigh of relief.  "Well at least now we won't keep getting interrupted," he said, his entire focus on the blonde wizard at his side.  "So what are the most spectacular enchanted items you've ever made," he asked eagerly. "I'd love to hear more about what you can do."</p><p> </p><p> For his part, Gellert was just as relieved as Blaise when the room cleared out.   Though Blaise's presence provided a pleasant distraction, the number of people in the room had been constantly overwhelming.  At times more and at times less, but always a constant overload upon his senses.  The silence should have been deafening by contrast, but it made him relax instead.</p><p> </p><p>He opened his mouth to answer Blaise's question about the most spectacular enchanted item he'd ever made but other words came out instead.</p><p> </p><p>"How can you deal with so many disruptions? I used to have nerves of steel, but alas, I fear my flexible days might be over. I didn't think I was that changed of a man, but perhaps my years of captivity did something to me," he admitted, the words almost a relief. Holding the thoughts and concerns in his mind was proving too difficult to bear. "It's ridiculous, but I kept thinking, 'shut up,' 'get out already,' crazy I suppose, right?" Gellert confided with a self deprecating chuckle.</p><p> </p><p>"Nonsense," Blaise assured Gellert, reaching to lightly touch the other man's arm in a, rare for him, gesture of encouragement.<br/>
"You were locked away for over 50 years, with no conversation or true interaction. Of course you were overwhelmed! For me this was a small gathering, but I'm accustomed to this entire Great Hall being full," he said, sweeping his arm to indicate the entire room with its 5 large tables including the staff table at which they currently sat. "Then again no one is ever here in the summer. Still I don't believe for a minute that you've changed that much or lost your edge. You're too brilliant for that. It's just a matter of adjustment, and you'll do fine. Just give yourself time."<br/>
Blaise paused to give Gellert his usual slow lazy grin. "Though I must admit to wanting them to shut up by the end of it all too," he confided.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert smiled back.  Confiding in Blaise helped even more than he'd hoped.  Now that he'd voiced his frustration, the former Dark Lord was able to refocus his mind on such matters that brought him pleasure. Having someone with whom to speak on the topics he held most dear, his research and magical achievements, was a rare thing indeed and a worthy distraction.</p><p> </p><p>"Back to your question, then.  The item I made that I found to be the most spectacular wasn't as fancy as the Elder Wand. But it fascinated me to no end. It was a mirror that allowed me to look into the true nature of various beings.<br/>
</p><p>From Dark Creatures to Elemental beings, such as the kobolds. My mirror would see over their illusions, over their glamor, over their physical manifestation, and the results were most striking.<br/>
</p><p>
My poor mirror got confiscated at the end, and one of the Aurors who was responsible for transporting it actually broke it. Not even intentionally, because he was angry at me and mine, that I could have understood. No, he broke it due to...plain incompetence..." Gellert sighed with deep regret, trying to decide if it was time yet to reveal to the young wizard exactly how he constructed his mirror.<br/>
</p><p>
"If you don't mind me asking, exactly how squeamish are you? I always believed that the results were most crucial, no matter how they would be obtained. At times, according to some opinions, I have gone...overboard in my desire to experiment with the unusual.  It's only that some spells require quite a unique ingredient, you see. But not everybody agrees with my methods," Grindelwald concluded tentatively, determined to give the young man a chance to respond to his hints of animal cruelty before he revealed too much and ruined their budding friendship.</p><p> </p><p>Blaise was about to tell Grindelwald of the spider amulet he'd enchanted for himself for protection, but the man's final words had him putting it off a bit longer no matter how much he wanted to impress.<br/>
</p>
<p>
"If you mean the reason you were expelled from Durmstrang I could care less. A particular cow of a trash journalist put it all in a book about Dumbledore in an attempt to blacken his name.  Everyone wants to hate someone so people tend to love or hate the man. Either way, whatever you did is too brilliant for the means to matter. </p><p><br/>
Such a mirror...I never even considered something like that...At least not in that way," he said thoughtfully.  "Then again I never had a particular need to see more into magical beings, so how you used it would be fascinating to know as well if you're willing to share. Especially if we could modify it for the Dementors. If we could then use it against them, that would be brilliant!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Forbidden Magic 101</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I should hardly think Dumbledore requires any help having his name blackened," Gellert said through gritted teeth.  Apparently some old rages never faded with time, because his for Dumbledore was as fresh as those early days when the fool had begun to disrupt Gellert's plans out of pure stupidity and bullheaded emotion or whatever it was that drove the goat loving oaf! Likely the only reason Gellert had been put into a book about him was so that it may actually sell, he thought snidely.</p><p> </p><p>"I can't imagine how anyone could find enough to say about him to fill a book or why they would bother," he said.  "Of course I'm sure I could insult him enough to fill a book," he added darkly.</p><p> </p><p>"Because he put you away," Blaise asked, his expression soothingly sympathetic.  Gellert sighed and nodded, trying to force his own mind to release the sudden surge of rage before it gave him a headache.  "He ruined everything, if that book hurt him at all, I should thank the author," he growled.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"Well it may have at that, but everyone believes him to be dead, at least for the moment so I think he has bigger things to worry about.  He's laying low in an attempt to work against Voldemort.  If Voldemort believes Dumbledore to be dead, hopefully Dumbledore can do more against him and Voldemort won't see it coming."</p><p> </p><p>"Well he needs to do something useful," Gellert said resentfully.  "He does love insinuating himself where he doesn't belong, so if he can manage to take someone down who actually needs taking down, it will likely be a first.  If he got himself killed instead I would not be displeased, though."</p><p> </p><p>It was nice to feel he could admit this to Blaise. Having someone with whom he could be completely honest was...well a first when he thought about it.  There had always been some reason or other to keep at least some of his true thoughts and secrets to himself even when it came to his most loyal and trusted of followers.  Blaise had admitted openly to not caring what he did with animals, though, which allowed Gellert to feel free to share other thoughts of an equally personal nature.</p><p> </p><p>"Alas I allowed my feelings over enemies past to distract me from our conversation," he said, giving Blaise an apologetic smile.</p><p> </p><p>"It's alright," Blaise said understandingly.  "I never comprehended why Durmstrang cared so much about what you did with animals anyway. I mean the school isn't fluffy like Hogwarts so that always felt a bit off to me."</p><p> </p><p>"Your instincts are good," Gellert told him.<br/>
"I suppose my experiments could be deemed the excuse which served to expel me, not the true reason, because worse things were performed in the halls of Durmstrang."</p><p> </p><p>Unsurprised, Blaise nodded.  "As I suspected.  So why were they screwing with you?"</p><p> </p><p>Gellert arched blonde brows, unfamiliar with the term but gleaning its meaning nonetheless.  "My family, it seems, was at war with the Krums and some other influential families who had access to the school's governing body.  I wasn't aware of the hostilities at the time, since my parents were dead. I just minded my own affairs, and in that particular case was even hopeful to get some extra curricular grades for the deductions of my experiments.  Only later on did I deduce a few things from what my great aunt said on the matter.  I am glad you don't care though.  So many wizards question methods of inquiry, put theoretical considerations of ethics above the practicality of discovery, and I am certainly not one of them.</p><p> </p><p>My mirror was perhaps the best reflection of my philosophy. I borrowed some attributes from animals and then bestowed them upon the mirror. And the mirror itself, well, it pursued a specific goal. I didn't just want to see for the sake of seeing," he explained, wanting Blaise to understand the true value of his most prized invention because in doing so, he would also understand how Gellert's mind worked, a process in which he seemed to be interested.</p><p> </p><p>"Instead I sought to uncover the mysteries of the various creatures and beings. After all, wizards are often concerned with the final outcome, but not how to create it most efficiently. The mirror allowed me to see which mechanisms were naturally developed in the essential nature of various beings, and then deduce which of those I could reproduce in my charms."</p><p> </p><p>He felt his own smile grow at the light of understanding in Blaise's ice blue eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"The inner workings of many charms became clearer to me, even the non verbal types which had their own peculiarities," he continued.  "If only I'd had more time to explore, but perhaps I reached the height of my understanding and instinctively knew it even then, or possibly, I was afraid of not being able to progress further. It is harder to say now which of the two options was truer, but the mirror did mean a lot to me while it lasted," Gellert explained, marveling at his willingness to confide in a near stranger.</p><p>Still it felt right and even necessary, so as always he trusted his instincts and followed them.  They never steered him wrong...Except for that one time when he had lost all.</p><p> </p><p>Blaise listened in riveted fascination, eager for Gellert's every word. At last someone on his level to talk enchantments with, and bloody Grindelwald of all people! Bloody hell!</p><p> </p><p>"Well now we have all the time in the world to explore that," he said excitedly.  "And I'm very interested to see if there is more to know if you'd like a partner in such work. Perhaps together we could combine resources to discover even more ways of application. We can make another mirror!"</p><p> </p><p> Were anyone else in the great hall, they would've been surprised to see an animated eager Blaise when he was usually so cool and frequently withdrawn, but no one spoke to his interests as Gellert did.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert gave a laugh of pure pleasure.  "I would love that!"</p><p> </p><p>"So these essences of animals that you used for the mirror...Were they extracted through blood magic or did you work more with spirit to imbibe the mirror," Blaise asked.</p><p> </p><p>As it turns out, I have in fact found a pleasing combination of the two," Gellert said, thrilling to the fact Blaise already understood the basic mechanisms of his very advanced theories.  "I came up with a spell that allows me to work blood magic while targeting and incorporating the spirit of the animal," Gellert admitted with a somewhat pleased smile. considering his discovery of the right spell to almost be remarkable.</p><p> </p><p>"Such a mirror could come in handy right now.  We can use all the help we can get considering all that's going on.  We can even start the process soon. I can have Bramble bring us a mirror even today!  Just give me a general outline of the end result you want, then we can combine our resources," Blaise said.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Thoughtfully tilting his head, Grindelwald considered his design, how to implement it and found words hard to formulate, perhaps due to his prolonged captivity.<br/>
"I need the mirror to serve similarly in principle to a scrying device with some minor deviations. The nature of the creature under investigation should be projected onto its surface, with some classification added under the image. We will need to obtain the creatures themselves to attach their essences to the mirror, but they are all obtainable. All of this is but the rough outline of course," Gellert concluded with a casually animated wave of one slender hand.</p><p> </p><p>Blaise was almost annoyed to find his usually methodical mind traveling in several directions at once due to his rare level of excitement. The first was that when Gellert Grindelwald tilted his head thoughtfully he looked extremely kissable. Damn! But then there was the possibility of how to implement additions to the mirror and to ad to that an idea he had for upping the defenses here at Hogwarts for purely selfish reasons.</p><p> </p><p>"What if we did a practice run of something more basic. If we made a useful artifact for this stupid school, everyone would be pleased and likely let us alone for longer periods to work on more worthy pursuits. What if we made several scrying mirrors for the professors to use that would allow them to see various areas of the school and its grounds without having to be there. Then it would be more difficult for those who should not be here to infiltrate. The mirrors could be combined with basic defenses. We can make one large mirror to serve as a foundation mirror or main mirror and link smaller more portable mirrors to it for the professors to use. For this mirror as well as the one you want to remake, we can focus on animals to facilitate it that have the sharpest eyes and most flexible habits," he suggested. "To be honest I've never worked with spirit magic at all, but I am fascinated by the possibilities we can achieve by doing so."</p><p> </p><p>It wasn't something he would've considered without Grindelwald's intriguing thoughts on the matter, but he was eager to work with the other wizard, and the idea was challenging and interesting. It provided another way to test his own developing skills, a thing for which he was always eager.</p><p> </p><p>"A great idea, rather," Grindelwald slowly nodded. "It is even possible to enhance the scrying with a magical alarm. A kind of ...Howler, that the Mirror would project when the defenses are breached...It would require refining some details, but could become very handy for an advanced alert, I think," the dark wizard spoke conversationally.</p><p> </p><p>"Brilliant," Blaise enthused, ready to get to work with Grindelwald right away or at least as soon as possible. He basked in the knowledge that Gellert believed him worthy to work on such experiments with him, but he also wished to show the other man that he was right.  He'd asked Grindelwald to tell him of his most impressive enchanted object so it was only fair to produce the same in kind.  Fortunately for him he was always wearing it.</p><p> </p><p>"Other than the charm to dispel magic that helped get you out of Nurmengard I only have one other example of my own work on me. It's my favorite due to its usefulness.  It's this." Blaise touched the large silver and black onyx spider pendant that hung about his neck. "It's the first enchanted item I ever made, actually. It's layered with several levels of protection.  It alerts me if someone is using magic on me of any sort. Then it gives a different sort of warning if the magic is dark or harmful. I'm fine with dark magic, obviously, just not used against me," he said with a slight chuckle.</p><p> </p><p>It was almost surreal that he was sitting here showing off his work to Grindelwald of all people.  "I've also layered it with detection's that indicate if a magical creature is disguised as a human, or even if a human is cloaked in any sort of magic in my presence. For example if you weren't the real Gellert Grindelwald, it should have given me some sort of sign. I may not know what magic you had on yourself, but I'd know enough to investigate. Those are just a few of the layered protections I put into this thing, there are 6 in all. It took months to fully embed them into the silver because I wanted them strong enough not to be over ridden."</p><p> </p><p>"Yes, of course, hard effort produces the best results in magic," Gellert eagerly agreed, though for the first time, the dark arts failed, at least a little, to awe him with their premise as they ordinarily did. He must have been exhausted, or the years in prison dulled his curiosity, for the young man in front of him was somehow even more fascinating than the spells he was justifiably proud of.</p><p> </p><p>"I like the way you think. I think we would make a magnificent mirror together.  And that shall only be the beginning," Gellert grandly declared.</p><p> </p><p>Blaise felt himself flushing in pride filled pleasure at Gellert Grindelwald's complimentary words.  One of the most brilliant wizards ever understood that he was brilliant.  Gratifying though it was it was also giddily thrilling at the same time. Blaise was accustomed to compliments, but from lesser minds. This mind certainly wasn't lesser. The pretty blonde head in which it was encapsulated was definitely not bad either to put it mildly. And Blaise never blushed, so he was thankful for his dark complexion and hoped it would allow the flush not to be as obvious.  At the moment he was also thankful for the table at which they sat as it covered the erection stirring in his black summer slacks.  The way Grindelwald's lively blue eyes flashed made Blaise want to draw him close and kiss him breathless.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. I think we're alone now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For at least an hour, the two lost themselves in technicalities for the making of plans for constructing not only the mirrors for the Hogwarts professors, but the medallion portkeys Kereston had requested as well.  When the sound of a throat politely clearing interrupted them, Blaise looked up to see Bramble standing beside the table.</p><p>"Bramble came to see if there is anything either of you require that he did not pack," he said.</p><p> </p><p>Blaise smiled, glad to see the elf.  "Yes actually. Eventually we will need a large mirror, hopefully with a silver frame."</p><p>Bramble nodded then surprised Gellert by turning his large blue elf eyes to regard him as if awaiting orders.  Gellert never had an elf growing up mainly because his eccentric old aunt with whom he'd lived hadn't wished anyone else touching her things.  He could not remember his parents, they died too suddenly and relatively young, leaving no magical portraits to console him. He had no idea if they had had an elf before Gellert had to go live with his great aunt. The only remnant that might have belonged to his early childhood was a drawing of an old elf with sad eyes.</p><p> </p><p>His great aunt was nice, but despite being able to recall events in magical history, could not tell him if the elf truly belonged to his family or not. Trying to relate to his past as a child, he'd attempted to find any familiar features on the elven face, and eventually gave up. On the picture, on the elf, on figuring out more about his family. It was all a useless distraction when even then he knew that greater things awaited him. Thinking about the presumed family elf, made him feel stuck inside of himself and the old pain of not even relating to other children.</p><p>"Mr. Grindelwald," the elf asked, his small polite voice yanking Gellert back to the present. He found himself giving Bramble a grateful smile. "Is there something Bramble can get for you?"</p><p> </p><p>Gellert could not recall the last time he was asked if he required something.  He nearly professed to need nothing, but a look of encouragement from Blaise caused him to speak other words instead, if hesitantly.</p><p> </p><p>"Well...As odd as it may sound, I feel out of my time...though obviously as I am here this is also my time...but as I have not been participating in its passage for over fifty years, I have no idea what is readily accessible. If I am asking too much of you, please don't hesitate to disregard my request," he told the elf.  "In Germany we had this butterbeer with a hint of dark chocolate...And later in France there was a strange and delightful form of butterbeer with a dollop of pineapple and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Both brands had something in them that would give one energy.  As we are to be working on some rather complex magical items, extra energy to boost our magic can only help.  If you could produce anything similar to either of those drinks to give us an extra boost of energy, it would be appreciated greatly."</p><p> </p><p>The elf looked thoughtful and Gellert nearly told him not to trouble himself, but before he could speak the elf bowed and vanished with a crack.</p><p> </p><p>Before Gellert could express his regret at putting the elf to trouble, Blaise spoke.</p><p> </p><p>"That was a good idea!  Bramble loves a challenge, so he'll come up with something soon enough and you're right. We can use the energy."</p><p>This served to ease Gellert's mind and the two resumed formulating their plans for the mirror.  Bramble returned in less than half an hour with two large glasses of frothing butterbeer.</p><p> </p><p>"The Mistress says Bramble is to go shopping for supplies tomorrow, so he will have your mirror then," the elf gravely explained.  "Mistress does not wish for Bramble to be out late at this time. She and the master feel the streets will be more dangerous late at night."</p><p> </p><p>Blaise sighed and shrugged. "Very well," he drawled with an exasperated shake of his head.  "My paranoid parents are at it again," he complained to Gellert.  "We have the two new books I apparently risked a dementor snogging for, so we can just relax and read those today. One specializes in rare and lost charms and enchantments while the other has spells for removing enchantments from objects.  Disenchantment's, it is called.  Both could be useful reads for our current projects."</p><p> </p><p>"That sounds good," Gellert admitted.  Though he would love to sink his teeth into some interesting magical work right now, a day of study was probably not a bad idea.  His mind was still becoming accustom to freedom, after all.  Though taking it easy was not his style as a rule, a day of adjustment may be just what he needed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Very good," Bramble said, carefully setting the full glasses down on the table before Gellert and Blaise.</p><p>"Thank you very much, Bramble," Gellert said, lifting his and taking a careful sip before giving a smile of pleased surprise.  "It is the dark chocolate variety!  You are amazing!"</p><p>The elf gave an embarrassed smile and slight bow.  "Bramble is glad that his attempt pleases Gellert Grindelwald.  "If there will be nothing else, he shall return to Master Blaise's parents. They have him apparating letters that they do not trust to the owl post," the elf said, obviously struggling not to look bored at the very idea.</p><p>"I'm sorry,"Blaise said sincerely, biting back a laugh.</p><p>"Thank you," Bramble said, then with another slight bow, apparated out with a crack.</p><p> </p><p>"Lets take these glasses up to the dorm where my books are," Blaise suggested.  "This is really good," he added enthusiastically after taking a sip from his own.  Gellert nodded, giving a pleased smile, happy that Blaise also liked his butterbeer with a hint of dark chocolate and a lot of energy. Gellert could already feel more energized, and he was impressed with Bramble all the more.</p><p> </p><p>They left the great hall and Blaise led Gellert down to the dungeons.  As they walked, Gellert silently pondered over elves and how little he truly knew of them.  He could never quite understand the mystery of the elves from reading about their history.  It simply lacked coherence.  At first the elves almost seemed to be described as larger than life. Then a few centuries later, something made them reduced, and their descriptions became similar to the ones he found later concerning their forced service to wizarding kind.  No account for the change was given, and after a while, Gellert moved on to other interests, leaving the mystery alone.  Now interacting with bramble and witnessing his impressive magical capabilities, he found his curiosity peaked once again.  When Blaise spoke, though, he forgot about that line of thought for the time being.</p><p> </p><p>"I never thought I'd be walking to the Slytherin dorms with you," he said with a chuckle.  As he spoke, Blaise lightly placed his hand over Gellert's, leaving it there as they walked.  If Gellert pulled away, he would take that as a clear sign that the other man did not feel the same attraction that Blaise was experiencing.  He knew Rita Skeeter was a liar, but sometimes she did sprinkle in a few grains of truth just for fun.  Blaise never believed that Grindelwald and Dumbledore had actually ever had a thing, but if Grindelwald was open to men, Blaise was very open to that!</p><p> </p><p>For his part, Blaise had only shagged two girls, ever.  Both were Ravenclaws.  There was only one experience with a bloke, and that one Blaise hadn't started.  A fellow Slytherin on the Quidditch team had put the move on him last year just two weeks before term ended.  The two had been alone in the common room studying for end of term exams while most everyone else had gone to bed.  Shocked, Blaise would've flattened the other boy had his body not responded.  Curious, he'd fooled around with him a little but there had been no penetration.  Blaise wasn't attracted to him enough to risk something going into his bum that he may not enjoy to put it bluntly.</p><p> </p><p>The next day, the bloke had obsessed over him just like a girl! One of the two girls Blaise had shagged obsessed over him the same way and it was very off putting.  Once Blaise experienced a person he was done.  They no longer held any interest for him and he was ready for the next new thing, be it a person or book or trip to a foreign country with his parents over the summer.  He never led anyone on or indicated that there would be more between them after they had their fun so why they got all clingy he never understood.  He really really hated it, though.</p><p> </p><p>"It's odd walking through any school with a friend at my side," Gellert replied to Blaise's comment with a chuckle and without moving his hand away from Blaise's own.  "I never truly managed to connect with many fellow students during my school days," he admitted.</p><p> </p><p>"Another thing we have in common," Blaise said, nearly giddy from the amount of pleasure he took in that fact.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert gave an incredulous laugh.<br/>
"I can't imagine you not surrounded by friends."</p><p>Blaise cringed.<br/>
"Gods I can't stand most people!  And I could say the same of you. I picture you surrounded by throngs of acolytes."</p><p> </p><p>"That was only later," Gellert said, shrugging as though that was hardly the same thing.  When they reached the Slytherin common room, Blaise gave an inner sigh of regret when he had to remove his hand from Gellert's.  He spoke the password to the portrate.<br/>
"Pureblood."</p><p>Gellert smiled as that was fitting.  In the seventh year boy's dorms, they found several trunks stacked in a corner, the top one having a tag with Gellert Grindelwald written on it in Bramble's neat cramped hand.  While Blaise plundered his own trunks for the two new books, Gellert opened his to find the toothbrush and comb that was promised to him earlier along with neatly folded clothing.</p><p>"Here they are," Blaise said in a satisfied tone as he straightened from an open trunk with two books in his hands.  "Which would you like to start with? I figure we can start with one then trade off later."</p><p> </p><p>Blaise was allowing him to choose which book he wanted to read!  That warmed Gellert in a way he could only describe as flattering and touching but not in the way he was accustom to being flattered.  He was once used to people fussing over him when he was a Dark Lord.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When the elite dark wizards he accepted into his inner circle would offer him his due, he eventually took it for granted. He was in charge, he earned the very best the world had to offer.  But somehow Blaise had quickly become an equal.  Blaise's high regard and willingness to share so freely meant more to him than it had from anyone else.  Blaise did not treat him with the deference shown by his former followers.  Instead he treated him like a friend and an equal.</p><p> </p><p>"I can start with the one on disenchantments," he said and the two settled down across from one another on the narrow beds to read.  After a while, Blaise put his book down and reached for his glass of butterbeer that sat beside Gellert's on the nearby table.<br/>
"How is that book so far," he asked.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"The author is interesting and I enjoy his theories thus far," Gellert said, lowering the book to look over at Blaise.   "Especially how instead of interacting with the enchantment itself, he suggests dealing with the area around it. That concept of finding the weakest point from the outside, it is brilliant, though probably not always time efficient.  There are some items that likely could not be disenchanted any other way, though, especially those cursed items often found in Egyptian tombs."</p><p> </p><p>Seeing Blaise with the butterbeer he stretched then reached for his own glass.</p><p>"I wonder how long we have been reading?"</p><p> </p><p>"Long enough," Blaise observed.  "It's getting dark.  Soon we'll need a reading light, but each bed has one."</p><p> </p><p>"It's a pity we don't have the mirror or at least the pendants to work on eventually," Gellert said.  "If I read for too long at a stretch, my mind tends to wander and I lose focus."</p><p> </p><p><br/>
Blaise nodded.  "Perhaps Mag will have the pendants for us today and bring them to dinner."</p><p> </p><p>"Is she a professor here," Gellert asked and Blaise shook his head.</p><p>"Just a friend of Professor Snape and Kereston and Millie.  Her parents started working with Wolfgang as well.</p><p> </p><p>Before he lost his nerve Blaise stood and crossed the short distance to Gellert's bed.  Sitting down beside him he said, "If you're tired of reading, there is something else we could do to pass the time."</p><p>Gellert grinned, his blue eyes flashing with eager interest and curiosity.  "Alright!  What've you got?"</p><p> </p><p>Gellert Grindelwald was fascinating. He was everything Blaise expected but surprisingly social and vivacious as well in the most charming of ways that Blaise found difficult...no impossible to resist.  "I didn't exactly wish to be alone today, yet the company of just anyone would've been unbearable. You seem to be just what I needed."  As Blaise spoke, he slid his arm around Gellert's back and drew him in for what suddenly turned into the most intense kiss of his life. Gods but the pretty blonde was intoxicating and the feeling of Gellert's slender arms hard around him caused all coherent thoughts to fade.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert had expected that Blaise would suggest some sort of magical activity, but he had no idea it would be physical.  For an instant, he felt himself going stiff with shock when the other man's mouth claimed his but when his long dead libido roared to life he responded without a second thought.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Do you need a friend, and will you love me in the dark?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gellert Grindelwald had always been one to push the boundaries, but this was a new one for him.  Though he'd been with plenty of women, men were never on his radar in such a way.  Though he enjoyed the physical pleasures with women, none of them ever made him feel like THIS!  With them, he was always in control, always able to think.  Just now, he was far more interested in doing this with Blaise than thinking about anything.  Right now he just wanted to feel more of the sensations that Blaise's kisses and caresses were giving him.  As their mouths sought to become one, he found himself clinging to Blaise in an effort to get closer.  He needed more of whatever this was between them.</p><p> </p><p>As they tumbled back on the bed together, Blaise's hands ran through his hair in a way that had Gellert shivering in pleasure and arching against him as if his body had a will of its own.  "I want to feel all of you...Now," Blaise managed between heated kisses.  Gellert made an incoherent sound of agreement to the sentiment and the two began to tug at one another's clothes.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
As he tugged off the oddly short sleeved black silk shirt Blaise wore, it occurred to him how greatly fashion had changed.  He should've considered such earlier in the day, but his mind had had too much to take in and fashion was the least important at that point, he supposed.  The long black pants Blaise wore weren't so different though, and he studied the muscles in Blaise's long lean legs as he tugged them off. The underwear was another drastic change, Blaise's was short and clung to the muscles of his hips and bulging erection.  The sight caused Gellert's eyes to widen in mild trepidation and his cheeks to heat as he wondered if he actually knew what he was supposed to do with that...in such a context!</p><p> </p><p><br/>
Blaise didn't seem to notice, though, making short work of tugging Gellert's tattered prison robe over his head and tossing it to the floor to join his own clothes.  When he pulled off Gellert's long underwear, he paused to wrap a hand around his throbbing erection as he made a low sound of approval.  Gellert groaned as his eyes rolled back in his head.  Perhaps he wasn't precisely sure how this should be done but he'd bloody figure it out because gods this felt amazing!</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"You're beautiful," Blaise said, and Gellert liked the odd breathless quality in his voice.  He'd put it there, after all. He wanted to compliment Blaise in return, but his mind couldn't produce words at the moment. His body was calling out it's physical need too loudly so he kissed the other man instead, a small sound of desire escaping him as their tongues met.  As their kisses deepened and their caresses grew even more heated and intimate Gellert could feel Blaise's heart pounding against his own.  Their chests were pressed together as were their erections as their legs entwined in an attempt to get even closer to one another.</p><p> </p><p>"Gods just this is amazing," Blaise gasped as their hips thrust against one another, causing their erections to press together.</p><p>"Yes, oh yes," Gellert breathed before claiming Blaise's mouth again in his need to lose himself in the incredible feel of the other wizard's body pressed full length against his own.  Arching against one another nearly frantically, sounds of need issuing from both between impassioned kisses their heat built to a sweet wild fever.</p><p>"Oh Gellert," Blaise groaned, dark head thrown back as he spent himself over both of their erections.  The hot warm sensation sent Gellert over the edge and he practically shouted with pleasure as he reached his own completion.  Afterward they lay tangled limply together, unmoving save for an occasional tender caress from one or the other.  Eventually Blaise rolled over and reached down to the pile of clothes on the floor beside the bed.  When he straightened he held a cylindrical black wand in his hand that looked to be made of stone.  Gellert watched with an idol lazy interest as Blaise first directed it at Gellert then at himself, performing a quick cleaning charm that wiped away all traces of their lust.  He then replaced the wand on the pile of clothes before returning to wind himself around Gellert on the bed.  With a contented sigh, Gellert snuggled into the other man's warmth before asking,"What sort of wand is that?"</p><p> </p><p>"Smoky quartz," Blaise replied. "Mag made it for me. It enhances magic twice as much as any wooden wand.  All of her wands do because each has some form of quartz on them.  She usually custom makes them for each person. I guess she sort of psychically feels who would work best with what and matches you up to a wand.  We'll have her make one for you."</p><p> </p><p>"That will be interesting," Gellert said, looking forward to the prospect of working with a stone wand and seeing all the ways it differed from wood.  "May I try yours out the next time we get dirty to see how it works," he asked, eager to have at least some of his curiosity on the matter met.  "Of course my own will work better I assume, but I am too curious to wait," he admitted with an eager smile.</p><p> </p><p>"Sure you can try it out whenever," Blaise agreed willingly.  "And I don't know if stone wands work only with one person as wooden ones do. I think the owner of the stone wand connects more to it, or vibes as Mag says, but just because it and I are more attached may not mean you can't use it as well. Or perhaps it does. We will find out."</p><p> </p><p>Leaning up on one elbow he bent and kissed Gellert deeply and soundly.  "I'm always up for any magical experiment with you," he murmured against the blonde's mouth.  As he spoke, Blaise felt Gellert growing erect under him and his own body reacted in kind. Gellert wound his arms around his back to draw him closer and Blaise went willingly.  "What do you want," Blaise murmured into Gellert's ear, tongue flicking over the silken skin of his earlobe as he spoke.</p><p> </p><p>"Everything,"Gellert said.  "From you, I want everything."</p><p> </p><p>And Blaise found himself more than happy to give it.  Unlike with the other guy with whom he'd fooled around that one time, Blaise didn't wonder if he'd like whatever intimate things they would do or how strange he would feel about it later. Like Gellert, he wanted everything.  "Everything sounds very good," he replied before beginning to kiss his way down Gellert's shoulder to his chest and down his chest to his stomach.  He decided to do everything to Gellert that he'd liked girls to do to him as well as anything he liked doing to himself or anything he wished girls would do to him.  Hell perhaps he'd even try doing those things he'd just heard about other guys liking if it felt right!</p><p> </p><p>He only gave Gellert's erection a passing flick of his tongue before moving to sprinkle kisses and gentle nips along his inner thighs.  Gellert's low sounds of approval as well as the way his slender body arched and twisted on the bed, indicated his approval of what Blaise was doing to him so far.  Moving under his erection, Blaise teased his tongue across Gellert's balls and then lower, tongue delving between his cheeks to flick at his hole.</p><p> </p><p>That move was one Blaise had only heard other boys talk about having done to them, rather than one he'd actually experienced for himself.  Gellert gasped and called Blaise's name as he arched off the bed so he considered the move a worthy one.  Blaise continued to tease sensitive areas with his tongue as his hand came up to grip Gellert's erection.</p><p> </p><p>When the other man's movements grew more frantic, Blaise at last slowly drew Gellert's entire length into his mouth.  Rather than feeling weird as Blaise was sure it would've with the other bloke, the sensation of Grindelwald in his mouth and the taste of him had Blaise's own erection throbbing with need to the point it was nearly painful.  Mimicking the movements the really fun Ravenclaw girl had done to him last summer, he worked Gellert until the man was thrashing under him.  When he knew Gellert was beyond ready he pulled him even deeper into his mouth. Gellert cried out, hips pumping as he spilled his warm seed down Blaise's throat.</p><p> </p><p>Knowing how sensitive a fading erection could be after the fact, Blaise pulled back slowly and gently to Gellert's sigh of contentment.  Placing a final kiss on Gellert's thigh, Blaise straightened and went for his glass of butterbeer.  He took a drink before returning to Gellert.</p><p>"Come here," Gellert said and drew Blaise close for a kiss. As their mouths met, one of Gellert's hands drifted down to wrap around Blaise's still very present erection, causing him to gasp.<br/>
"Fuck," Blaise groaned.  "When you touch me it's so much better than anything else."</p><p> </p><p>"Good," Gellert said. "Because you are better than anything else."</p><p> </p><p>Their mouths met over and over as Gellert stroked Blaise's erection.   When the blonde drew away it was only to lick and kiss his way down Blaise's body as Blaise had done to him earlier.  As Gellert drew Blaise's length into his mouth, his hands tangled lightly in the blonde's soft curls.  Then Gellert did something to the tip of his erection that caused Blaise to lose his mind.</p><p> </p><p>"Great god, Gellert!"</p><p> </p><p>Gellert found himself smiling in pleased satisfaction even as he drew Blaise deeper into his mouth.  When Rosier did that thing to him with her tongue, he'd really liked it, so he was pleased that Blaise seemed to enjoy his attempt at reproducing the motion. Perhaps Gellert himself had even improved upon it as he'd never called Vinda Rosier any sort of god over the act.  At first he had fleeting doubts that he'd have the skills to please another man, but Blaise's body could not lie and it had seemed plenty pleased more than once now.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
When Blaise called out his name and spilled himself into Gellert's mouth, he found he even enjoyed the taste.  It seemed that everything about Blaise was of the highest quality, he thought with a smirk as he went for his butterbeer.  The energy would come in handy right now even more than he'd first suspected.  When he returned to the bed, he found Blaise under the blankets, holding them up so that Gellert could slide under with him.  Darkness had fallen over the room like another blanket of safety and comfort and Gellert gave a contented sigh.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The two simply lay entwined for some time, face to face, simply resting silently in the quiet of the room.  Eventually Gellert's hand strayed up to Blaise's chest where the large spider pendant hung that he'd showed him earlier.  Cupping his hand around the silver spider, Gellert could feel it humming with all the layers of magic Blaise had laid into it.  Feeling the skill and power put into the thing made his spent member twitch again.  Gods he'd be ready for round three soon!<br/>
"What is the sixth layer," he asked Blaise, his own voice coming out lazy and nearly sleepy.  "I see the "Alerts to foreign magic, alerts to general magic being used on you, energy shielding, intention detection, that one is rare, avoidance suggestions, very good...But there is a sixth one that I can sense, but can't quite puzzle out," Gellert said.</p><p> </p><p>Before Gellert had spoken, Blaise was thinking of how nice it felt just to be close to him and how bloody strange it was for HIM in particular.  Blaise Zabini never cuddled. But the two clung together so automatically and it was relaxing, natural and oddly comforting.  There were no stressful thoughts of his parents or dementors or the Voldemort ridden year to come.  Nothing but Gellert. </p><p> </p><p>The blonde toyed lazily with the silver and black onyx spider that Blaise wore on a heavy silver chain about his neck, his head snuggled on the pillow near Blaise's shoulder. Grindelwald had listed nearly all the layered protections Blaise had put into the spider to keep himself as safe from being screwed with as possible.  His full lips curved in a smile when Gellert was impressed and unable to detect the final charm.  It was beyond pleasing that his work was complex enough that the likes of Gellert Grindelwald was stumped at least momentarily.</p><p> </p><p>"It goes back to the first charm of detection. That one alerts me to a foreign entity. Meaning someone with magic that is not a wizard," Blaise explained.  "If that one is set off, the final one responds by giving off flashes of various colored light, each color a representation for what the entity is. Red would indicate a vampire. Silver a werewolf, gray a lethifold, and so on," Blaise explained.  "That one is the most complex, but I felt it could also be the most necessary."</p><p> </p><p>He felt Gellert's head move on the pillow in a nod.</p><p>"That's impressive," he said, tone sincere as was the growing erection Blaise felt pressing against his thigh.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. My Kinda Lover</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The two lay in each other's arms, cuddled together for what felt like hours.  They talked of magic, enchantments, theories, and preferred methods of magical application.  From time to time, one or the other would interject a kiss or caress, and for a time there was no conversation as they tantalized and teased one another's bodies. Blaise had never experienced the combination of peaceful companionship and satisfaction coupled with arousal in his life, and he liked it. He wasn't thinking of dementors knowing his name while seeking info on Potter. He doubted Gellert was thinking of Nurmengard either.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When their need for one another overrode all capability for conversation, Blaise rolled out of bed and reached for his wand.  "Lumos."  The charm lit the room enough for him to see their stacked trunks of belongings and after opening only two he found what he was looking for.  Returning to the bed with a bottle of natural herbal skin cream in his hand, he climbed back into bed beside Gellert.</p><p> </p><p>"That wand even makes the lumos charm brighter," Gellert commented, tone impressed.</p><p> </p><p>"It certainly makes all spells easier and faster to work and ads an extra kick," Blaise agreed.  Kissing Gellert he wrapped a hand around the other man's impressive erection, marveling at how hungry he felt for it and for Gellert in general.  After shagging a girl he was simply done. He'd been there, had that and it was no longer exciting or unknown so the appeal for him was gone. The more he did with Gellert the more he wanted to do, though.  </p><p> </p><p>Gellert moaned, arching under Blaise's hand as  it slowly stroked him, slender arms winding around Blaise to pull him closer.  Blaise wanted him so much it was hard to breathe.  Everything...Gellert had said that he wanted everything and Blaise wanted to give it to him.  The bottle of skin cream was how he kept his skin soft and smooth, but today as it was all natural he decided it was going to serve as lube.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>If his need for Gellert wasn't so intense, Blaise may have been nervous about trying out this next bit. Those blokes he'd heard talking about liking their hole licked by their girlfriends also spoke of having their gland worked, or as one had called it, the P spot.  P because the gland in question was the prostate.  If what Blaise heard was true, any form of completion that involved the prostate was extra intense.  The prostate gland was apparently walnut sized so one wasn't supposed to have trouble finding it.  He hoped that was accurate else things may get awkward.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>At least he could just explain if it became an issue.  Though he wanted to appear more suave than that to Gellert he could handle it if a conversation as to where the hell the gland was became necessary.  Deciding to test the waters before actually attempting the highest form of penetration, he trailed kisses down Gellert's chest and stomach, working his way downward.  He squeezed a generous amount of skin cream onto the first finger of his right hand, but did not begin gently working it inside of Gellert until he had the blonde's erection in his mouth.  As his finger slid inside, he noticed right away how incredibly tight it was.  Just imagining how bloody amazing that would feel around his erection had him close to finishing at the very thought.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
Then again if the prostate felt as amazing as he'd heard it did, he looked just as forward to having Gellert inside of him.  The thought had him moaning with desire around Gellert's erection.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert was awash in pleasure at the feeling of Blaise's talented mouth working him when it happened. He nearly started in surprise to feel Blaise's finger sliding inside of him.  The feeling was foreign, but not painful.  Before he could fully process it, though, Blaise made a sound around his erection and the vibration had Gellert gasping in pleasure.  The sensation nearly swept him over, then Blaise's slender finger began to move inside of him, gently massaging and pressing until...Gellert's mouth flew open and he shouted as he spilled into Blaise's mouth, bucking up off the bed as stars exploded behind his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Well it appeared he'd found it!  Blaise withdrew his finger as slowly as he slid his mouth from Gellert's gradually deflating erection.  The taste of Gellert's pleasure on his tongue served as testament to his apparent skill, and he felt his lips curving into a pleased smile as he reached for his butterbeer.</p><p> </p><p>"My god," Gellert said weakly.<br/>
"I think the room is spinning."</p><p> </p><p>"Good," Blaise said, hearing the satisfaction in his own voice.</p><p>Though eager to have Gellert giving him the gland experience, he still didn't regret not trying it with the bloke from his Quidditch team. It was somehow too personal to do with just anyone.  Besides if Gellert reacted like that the other bloke would've never left Blaise alone.  As it was he'd given Blaise eyes for days over a snog or three and a hand job in the common room.  It had been more than disconcerting for Blaise when another bloke got that obsessed.  He'd had girls losing their heads over him with little to no cause but hadn't expected it from another guy.  It made him avoid the girls like the plague and Mr. Quidditch was no exception to that rule either.</p><p> </p><p>Reaching for his wand, he cleaned his hand, then replaced it on their discarded clothing before slipping back into bed with Gellert.  The blonde still lay limply, limbs splayed so that Blaise had to shift one of Gellert's arms and one of his legs to make room for himself.  He lay, running his fingers through Gellert's hair until the other wizard finally stirred.  Raising up on one elbow, he claimed Blaise's mouth in a heated kiss before he asked, "Where is that cream?"</p><p> </p><p>Wordlessly Blaise reached to the side of the bed for the bottle and passed it over, his erection straining eagerly at the blankets, causing them to tent above him in obvious expectation.</p><p> </p><p>He shivered with pleasure as Gellert's warm mouth trailed down his chest and stomach.  Gellert stroked Blaise's erection with one hand while sliding his finger inside with the other.  Gellert's finger massaged and pressed gently, sending spikes of hot pleasure straight to Blaise's erection with every movement.</p><p> </p><p>"God," he gasped. "God that's good!"</p><p> </p><p>He loved the way Gellert moved with Blaise's own needful thrusts. Loved just being near Gellert, loved the way the other man's mind worked...And right now he really loved the feeling of Gellert's mouth taking him as his finger worked its way even deeper inside.  The sounds that escaped his throat could form no words as he arched and thrust under Gellert's ministrations, his passion building until he thought he'd go mad.  Then as Gellert's mouth drew him even deeper, his finger pressed and rubbed on just the right spot inside, and Blaise exploded from head to toe.</p><p> </p><p>It was then Blaise's turn to lie limply on the bed, gasping as the room spun.  Vaguely he heard Gellert having some butterbeer, then the blonde was moving at the side of the bed.  Only when Blaise heard him pronounce the scourgifying charm did his hazed mind process that he'd gone for the wand to try it out.</p><p>"Like it," he asked.</p><p>"I do rather," Gellert replied. "Of course it isn't sentient in the way of the Elder wand, but it's strength is impressive nonetheless."</p><p> </p><p>"How did it feel to have a sentient wand," Blaise asked, his voice lazy as he basked in the afterglow of just having his entire mind literally blown to bits.</p><p> </p><p>"It's difficult to describe," Gellert said a tinge of loss and sadness in his voice.  "It is something one would have to experience.  It felt like having a partner with whom to work every spell.  A partner that had their own ideas and could even guide or improve a spell at times if they saw a way to do so.  I felt it's power with each spell in a way that nearly made me feel that I was somehow enhanced as well."</p><p> </p><p>"As though you were linked," Blaise asked, attempting to understand.  Wanting to understand even though he couldn't truly relate, as Gellert said, without having had the Elder wand experience for himself.  Still he wanted to relate at least as much as possible, to share everything he could with Gellert.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes, that's right," Gellert concurred as he climbed back into bed and reached for Blaise.  "Nothing has ever made me feel like that until you."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. All The Ways</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Had Gellert Grindelwald just compared HIM to the bloody Elder wand?  Though his ego was remarkably huge, Blaise still felt honored...because this compliment was coming from bloody Grindelwald!  The elder wand was sought after and had a lot of power and untapped potential. The more Blaise considered it, he decided the comparison was definitely fair as it described him well.  Still the fact Gellert had owned the Elder wand and considered him as good was nice. Really nice.</p><p> </p><p>"I wish I could've shown it to you.  Perhaps we could've shared it. The things we could've done, the three of us," Gellert said wistfully of the wand, and Blaise smiled in the dark.</p><p> </p><p>"I would've liked that. But you and I will make even better things together. I know it. We are probably more progressive enchanters than the three Peverell brothers anyway."</p><p> </p><p>"I like that," Gellert said, his voice full of warmth.  "And I look very forward to seeing how well we work together when we get those supplies tomorrow."</p><p> </p><p>"Definitely," Blaise said, a surge of excitement running through him at the idea of combining magics with Gellert Grindelwald.</p><p> </p><p>"It has been a while since I've held a wand, though," Gellert went on.  "Perhaps I need a bit more practice...Where did that Elder wand go again?"<br/>
His hand went to Blaise's already rigid erection, fingers dancing lightly up and down the length causing him to gasp and arch up into Gellert's hand.  He very much wanted to lose it then and there, but they still had yet to do everything together this night, and Blaise hated to leave a job undone.  He devoured Gellert's mouth with a long kiss, reveling in the other man's touch before reluctantly drawing back to reach for the bottle of cream.</p><p> </p><p>He slathered it generously onto his own erection before slipping two cream coated fingers inside of Gellert to pave the way for what he planned to do next.  His free hand stroked Gellert's length as the blonde made low sounds of encouragement and thrust nearly demandingly against both of his hands.  Whenever Blaise thought of bloke's shagging it was from behind but somehow that didn't seem attractive.  He wanted to see Gellert's face, to look into his eyes while they rode out the pleasure together.  As he moved atop the blonde wizard, he felt Gellert's legs part in expectation and struggled not to feel nervous.  He just hoped he did this right and nearly opened his mouth to say so but didn't want to ruin the mood.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Instead he propped himself up with one hand and used the other to guide himself inside of Gellert.  It wasn't as easy as he'd hoped, and he slowed down so as not to hurt the  other wizard.  Gellert shifted upward under him as if trying to assist and Blaise continued slowly until he was partially inside.  He paused, closing his eyes and letting out a slow breath, because damn it was incredibly tight!</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"Gellert," he murmured, lowering his head to claim the other man's mouth in a soft lingering kiss as he used the hand that he'd guided himself into Gellert with to stroke Grindelwald's erection.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert made a sound of approval against his mouth as he returned the kiss, stroking his tongue along Blaise's as he moved under him.  Blaise moved in slow shallow strokes, hoping to hit Gellert's gland with each movement.  When the lube felt as if it was completely doing its work and the motions were a little freer, he went deeper.  As he did, his hand continued to stroke Gellert's erection.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
Though a bit uncomfortable and odd feeling at first, this didn't hurt as much as Gellert may have expected before tonight's activities.  The idea still may not have been very appealing had he not already experienced what Blaise's finger could do in there.  They moved together, slowly and carefully at first, then as their need rose, in faster shorter strokes. Gods were those near animalistic growls coming from his own throat, Gellert wondered, but the sensation was building into a pressure that hung just on the edge of...where he very much needed to be.</p><p> </p><p>"Blaise...Yes!"<br/>
His hand clung to Blaise's arm as the other ran nearly desperately across the muscles of Zabini's slender toned chest.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
Blaise's hand sped up its rhythm on Gellert's erection as he thrust into him, sliding almost all the way out and then back in, hitting the sweet spot each time he did.  When the typhoon that was his orgasm hit, Gellert cried out and yanked Blaise hard against him as he bucked upward, spilling his satisfaction over both of them.  With a final pump of his hips, Blaise was right there with him, entire body awash with ecstasy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They lay in a spent heap for several beautiful silent minutes before Blaise slowly drew away and reached for his smoky quartz wand to clean them both up.  As he did, Blaise's hand touched the tattered prison robe Gellert was wearing upon his arrival.  Casting lumos so that he could see before playing with fire, he held up the robe and murmured an incineration charm that turned it to dust which he cleaned away with another flick of the wand.  As he worked, he could feel Gellert watching him.<br/>
"You should never have to look at that again," he said before using the wand to clean them up.</p><p>"  After replacing it on his pile of clothing, he lay back down and drew a still limp Gellert into his arms.<br/>
"So, did the Elder wand perform well," he asked, a teasing smile in his voice.</p><p> </p><p>"Did it ever," Gellert said with a chuckle, pressing closer into Blaise's warmth.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"Well good," Blaise said,then kissed him, one hand lazily running through his curls as he marveled at their silky texture.</p><p>"You are so beautiful," he told him, then chuckled.<br/>
"Hell I never told girls that. I mean obviously they're beautiful or I'd not be interested in them. And this... This cuddling thing. I never did that either. It was just...not something I could stand.  Once I was done, I was done, and I'm not really a touchy feely person if I'm not sexing it up.  You're different though. I like holding you...being close to you."</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"Ummm.  That's good," Gellert said, snuggling contentedly closer.</p><p> </p><p>"Hell I'd certainly not allow any of them into my bed, or even sleep with them in theirs. It's just too much," Blaise said. "I suppose I was emotionally distant."</p><p> </p><p><br/>
He'd always wondered a little if something was wrong with him.  Kereston often called him cold for the way he treated girls, but he never lied to them or led them on. Ever.  It was hardly his fault if the things he did to them were so good or that he was so hot they got addicted.  He certainly didn't want them to be.  He wanted Gellert to understand this about him, because he wanted Gellert to know that he was special.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"I never minded cuddling my women or sharing a bed," Gellert said thoughtfully.<br/>
"But it was never this personal.  I mean the connection we have is far more personal.  It means a lot more."</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"Yes," Blaise said, satisfied that Gellert understood what he was trying to say.<br/>
"I like it as personal with you as possible," he added, wiggling suggestively against the other man.  Gellert responded to that with a sound of approval and several passion filled kisses that had their erections pressing needily against one another once again.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"So did you have lots of girls," Gellert asked curiously, tongue trailing over Blaise's lower lip as he spoke.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"Um..."Blaise started.  It was just so difficult to think when Gellert did that...Or anything else to him for that matter.</p><p> </p><p>"Only two. I only shagged two, and sort of made out with a guy from my Quidditch team. He put the move on me, though.  It was the end of this year and we were studying alone in the common room.  He asked what kind of girls I liked, then reached over and stroked me...you know there... I was going to slam him but good in the face but I responded so sort of thought it'd be wrong to hit him after that.  We just made out and jerked one another off and I...I got the feeling even then from things he said that he'd be too clingy and I didn't know if I'd like going all the way with him anyway so I didn't.  What about you?"</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"I had more than two women, but in my defense, I had more time," Gellert said with a chuckle.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"I could've fit more in, but I am extremely picky," Blaise said.</p><p> </p><p>"I also have the highest of standards, I'll have you know," Gellert said, and before Blaise could respond, the blonde was tickling his ribs.  Blaise shouted with laughter and nearly thrashed off the bed before sitting up to snatch Gellert's leg to tickle behind his knee. Laughing they tickled and rolled, nearly falling into the floor several times before rolling the other way on the bed just in time.</p><p> </p><p>Blaise wasn't sure which of them decided to distract the other from their tickling with a kiss first, but soon laughter gave way to soft sounds of desire on both their parts as they arched against one another limbs and mouths entangled.  Blaise rolled onto his back, drawing Gellert on top of him as he ran long slender fingers through his hair.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"Take me," he said, the low words coming out nearly pleading, so fierce was the desire sweeping over him.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert wasted no time in applying the cream to both of them, then working Blaise with both hands as Blaise had done to him earlier.  It felt so very good but Blaise needed more.</p><p>"More, Gellert," he gasped, and laughing softly the blonde slid slowly inside of him.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"God Blaise," he gasped as he slowly moved.<br/>
"You feel so incredible."</p><p>He murmured something in German, then rose up to stroke Blaise's needy erection as he moved slowly in and out.  The pleasure inside as well as from Gellert's hand on his erection tore sounds from Blaise as he arched off the bed.  As Gellert's movements sped up, Blaise matched them and when his orgasm hit he clung to Gellert, spilling over both of them before nearly passing out.</p><p>Gellert drove into Blaise a final time, spilling into him before collapsing over his body.</p><p> </p><p>"God that felt good," Blaise groaned when he eventually rolled over to reach for his wand for cleaning them up.</p><p>"Indeed it did," Gellert said, still feeling pleasantly breathless from it all.</p><p> </p><p>"This clean up is good enough but tomorrow I want to show you the brilliant prefect baths we have here. They have jets that massage you and even magical sponges to wash your back," he told Gellert.<br/>
"I had a chick in the Ravenclaw bath and let me tell you, those smaller jets can do some sweet things against your balls."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Children Behave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which we can practically feel Blaise's embarrassment radiating through our screens as we read because...parents aren't supposed to hear us bragging about our night like that!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eventually their conversation ebbed and sleep finally drifted over them like another blanket.  When Blaise woke in the morning, he lay very still for several moments, just watching Gellert sleep.  The blonde's arm was thrown casually across Blaise's waist, his long hair spread over the pillow in a way that made him want very much to kiss the other wizard awake.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
For once opting not to be selfish he carefully eased himself from the bed instead. This may be the first night in over fifty years that Gellert Grindelwald had slept comfortably and well, after all. Blaise quietly dressed, pulling on black summer slacks and a green silk t-shirt before slipping on black silk socks and black running shoes.  He liked the sort with no laces because laces looked stupid. Besides that they were annoying because no matter the spells he placed upon them they'd somehow come untied anyway at just the wrong time. </p><p> </p><p><br/>
Once he was dressed, Blaise thought to set the trunk Bramble had packed for Gellert closer to the bed so the other wizard would be sure to see it when he woke.  Before pocketing the smoky quartz wand, he used it to write a message on the trunk for Gellert to see. It simply read, Gone to Breakfast.  He assumed the blonde would figure as much out on his own, but waking in a place he hardly knew may feel odd so leaving the note set Blaise's mind more at ease to leave Gellert to his sleep.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>  After combing his short wavy dark hair and glancing in the mirror to assure himself he looked up to his usual standard of perfection, Blaise headed down stairs.  Kereston, Millie, Wolfgang, Mag and Severus were already in the great hall eating.  This was a bit of a surprise as he hadn't expected to many people to gather here in the morning who weren't students or professors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Good morning! You're looking well," Kereston said with a smile.</p><p>Blaise nodded as he took a seat with everyone else at the staff table, but wondered if she thought the dementor thing would leave him ill today or something.  Knowing she meant well and considering she was one of the few people Blaise actually liked, he refrained from inquiring.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>While everyone else at the table fed themselves, Kereston held a baby acromantula on her lap, feeding it cereal with a large soup spoon.  She'd gotten the thing from a dark wizarding pet shop in Knockturn alley a few weeks back when shopping with Wolfgang and Millicent who had found a parrot that screamed hexes nearly constantly. They'd named him DarkSpell, a name Blaise supposed was fitting if not particularly creative while Kereston had named her spider Reynaldo which was just flat out weird. Was that supposed to make him seem scary? The thought still made him want to roll his eyes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"I feel great, actually," Blaise said, unable to keep the wide smile off his face. "Guess what I did last night?"<br/>
"What," Millicent asked, lowering a fork full of eggs to regard him with anticipatory interest.<br/>
"Gellert Grindelwald," Blaise nearly crowed. Like any man bragging about a particularly impressive conquest he couldn't resist.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When Kereston made a choking sound, Blaise eventually realized two things. Both were very bad. The first was that he'd somehow forgotten in his eager glee to share the extraordinary news, that along with his friends, Severus Snape also sat at the table. He just wasn't used to being at Hogwarts in the summer, and...shit, he'd just somehow spoken without thinking.</p><p> </p><p>Severus's eyes looked as if they'd bug right out of his head, and Mag, who was seated at his side, made a disgusted face.  Then the second shoe dropped when the sound of his mother's voice rang out from just behind him.<br/>
"Good morning everyone," Sabra Zabini called out.</p><p>Please let her not have heard that, Blaise thought, wondering if he could quick come up with a charm that would allow him to sink into the floor of the great hall. Hell on toast!  He was of age so she had no right to tell him what to do.  It wasn't that. It was just...well hell on toast! He didn't need everyone knowing. Just his few friends. Impressing them was all he'd wanted and now...Hell.on.toast!</p><p> </p><p>"Kereston, one of these days that spider is going to grow big enough to eat you alive," Sabra Zabini said cheerfully as she swept around the table to sit across from Blaise.<br/>
"How are you, darling," she asked Blaise and Kereston made another choking sound.<br/>
Perhaps she'd not heard, Blaise thought hopefully. Snape was bad enough, though!</p><p>"I don't think the spider will be what kills her," Millicent said with a smirk. "Mind you don't choke, Boxwood."</p><p> </p><p>"Great, Mum. Where's dad," Blaise spoke quickly.  He was grateful for his darker complexion, because if he was blushing it may not show.</p><p> </p><p>"Enjoying the Ravenclaw prefect bathroom. He'll be down soon."<br/>
Remembering how he'd told Gellert he'd shagged a girl in there, Blaise nearly choked right along with Kereston!<br/>
"Oh no he won't eat me. He's a smart baby," Kereston crooned her reply to Sabra while rubbing the spider's furry back as it kicked its legs in what appeared to be pleasure. "He doesn't eat people," Kereston went on in that sickening baby talk voice. "He eats crunchy yummy cereal. Yes he does, he's a good boy!"</p><p>For once, Blaise was glad she was going on about the bloody spider.</p><p>"Well you'd better hope he never wishes to find out if you taste like cereal,"Sabra told the small blonde.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. You're never sure if the illusion is real</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gellert Grindelwald was a little surprised when he woke in the morning and, for a moment was uncertain where he was.  This should be quite normal when waking in a new place, but with the Mara nearly constantly playing with Gellert's reality in Nurmengard he never questioned anymore.  His mind took each dream situation as it happened and acted within it.  To wonder where he was just might mean he really was somewhere else.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>He lay in the bed for a few minutes, simply enjoying the feeling of a relatively soft mattress under him rather than the stone slab he was kindly afforded at Nurmengard.  As he glanced slowly around the room, taking in the sort of school setting he'd not experienced in a century, the past days events began washing over him ending with the most pleasurable ones in Blaise's arms.  Wishing for Blaise's oddly reassuring presence, he sat up in bed, and called out for the other wizard.  When he received no answer he rose from bed, then spotted the note left in magical lettering on the lid of his trunk.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
As he threw back the lid of the trunk and began sorting through the strange clothes inside, his thoughts returned to the Mara and the havoc she'd caused to his mind in Nurmengard. That havoc now served as his reason for questioning his current reality.   All too many times, the Mara, trying to be so ever convincing decided to inspire in him bits of hope with pleasing images only to dash them moments later. Indeed she excelled at breaking his spirit bit by bit, and his desire to resist as well.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Even the fact that he could remember his experiences in great detail were not always indicative. In one dream, he lived through what seemed an entire life time of pleasant magical discoveries in the past. He even got to live through the construction of the Elder Wand and the Cloak of Invisibility, before the so tantalizing creative genius of the character he had identified as Death from the Deathly Hollows tale, turned against him.</p><p> </p><p>Though many things were different in this particular situation, from the strange clothing to the fact he'd actually spent an unexpected night in the arms of another man, Gellert supposed the Mara could've still manufactured such differences if she chose.  Though she usually worked with what was in his own mind, and to his knowledge, none of this had been.  Perhaps the dream of an escape, but even the way the escape was managed, with the assistance of an elf, wasn't something he, personally, would've imagined.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There was also the consideration that this time, unlike the others, not everything was perfect.  Currently he was thirsty and in need of a water closet in which to relieve himself. He wasn't precisely comfortable with the strange new clothes either and as he tugged them on, he noticed that they didn't fit as well as they would've were they in his size.  Blaise was a little taller and though he was lanky, poor nutrition in Nurmengard had Gellert even thinner.  All these were actually good discomforts, though, because the Mara's dreams had never produced anything like that which could've made him think or need to reason much out.  Those who had imprisoned him, didn't ever want him thinking or reasoning, after all.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>After tugging on the oddly short stockings he slipped his feet into black shoes that were only slightly too large then combed his hair.  Once that was done, he spent a few minutes marveling over his youthful visage in the mirror.  He practically looked a boy again!  That, in itself, could've easily been a too good to be true trick of the mara's but recalling who had restored his youth served to dampen the effect a little.  It was almost humorous that he was relieved to find some unpleasant parts of a situation.  Wolfgang and his lady were unfriendly and did not respect his achievements other than to apply them to practically menial work.  They needed him to help with a problem when those like Adler had probably been behind putting him away in the first place.  Of course they needed him now and yet could not admit that he was better. </p><p> </p><p><br/>
He made his way to the dorm's toilet that Blaise had shown him last night then headed up to breakfast, only getting turned around a few times before locating the great hall.  It was full of most of the same people that had been there yesterday, all seated at the table at the head of the room.  It still felt like too many to his over isolated mind, but he reminded himself that this just served as another proof that it was all real.  The smell of breakfast caused his hunger to grow, so Gellert hurried over and was pleased to find the seat beside Blaise empty. Settling into it he was pleased yet again when a full plate of breakfast appeared before him along with a mug of hot black tea</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When Gellert came in and sat down beside him, all concerns about what his mum may have overheard were forgotten!  At sight of the other wizard, Blaise felt his heart flutter and fly. A thing it never ever did! Ever! Not even over really good books on enchantments. Granted he got plenty excited over such books, but his heart did not flutter. In this case, though, the fact Gellert had sat with him indicated to Blaise that Grindelwald did not wish to forget the night they'd shared.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Of course their conversations in-between bouts of incredible sex indicated as much as well for Blaise usually didn't talk to his partners too much. At least not like that.  There was never that sort of connection. In the morning it was definitely over from Blaise's perspective with everyone but Gellert. He wanted a lot of things from the other man, but over was not one of them!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>So the fact Gellert was seated beside him, indicated that he felt the same because<br/>
Blaise never would've done that the morning after. It gave an indication of willingness to continue something and he wasn't into giving wrong impressions. Of course Gellert may not mean the same thing by his actions, but for now Blaise opted to hope he did and enjoy the joy this gave him.<br/>
"Good morning," Blaise said, turning to him with a warm smile. He was unable to keep his eyes from devouring the other man, but at least for now it was only his eyes. There were others present, after all.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert looked somehow odd in Blaise's customary summer attire of black slacks and a black silk t-shirt, probably because the items hung loosely on the smaller man. Gellert was only a bit shorter, but prison and its obvious lack of niceties and three proper meals had left him a bit too thin.<br/>
Blaise was lanky enough himself so if his clothes were loose on Grindelwald, he definitely was due for a bit of weight gain. Blaise thought Gellert Grindelwald would look stunning in a sack, but ill fitting clothing was never a preference for wizards like he and Gellert who took extreme pride in their appearance. Appearance said a great deal, after all. It said a great deal on many levels that most common minded people didn't understand.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"I didn't want to wake you," he said in way of explanation for why Gellert had woken alone.<br/>
"I figured it was the first good night's sleep you'd had in some time so I wanted you to make the most of it."</p><p> </p><p>He felt his gaze softening and returned it hastily to his plate, taking a mouthful of eggs from the fork in his hand.<br/>
"Good morning, and thank you. I appreciate that. I thought I was well enough but I needed the rest, as it made me feel so much better," Gellert explained, Blaise's presence comforting him more than he could have anticipated.</p><p> </p><p>"We brought you the folder on Voldemort," Millicent told Gellert with a friendly, for her, smile. "It's got all the pertinent info and some that probably isn't, but you may as well know all you can on the crazy bastard."<br/>
She reached across the table and passed Gellert a thick brown folder. "Before I forget," she explained apologetically, never one to interrupt food if it wasn't important.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Ah yes, excellent. I will make sure to look into it soon," Gellert promised with a thoughtful frown.  He carefully placed the folder on the table beside his plate before returning his attention to his food. He was looking forward to analyzing the file, checking if he could detect this Voldemort in the traces of prophecy he experienced as a young man.</p><p> </p><p>In part though, he was not quite sure how to act around the young Bulstrode, her initial threats against his person most off putting, to a degree precluding him from experiencing any remotely friendly sentiment towards Millicent.<br/>
"Hi," Kereston said cheerfully, giving Gellert a little wave before lowering her hand to her spider's back once more. "Did you enjoy your first night of freedom? Did you and Blaise get to start working on anything for us yet? This is my spider Reynaldo, by the way. He's so sweet!"</p><p> </p><p><br/>
At Kereston's innocent questions, Millicent rolled her eyes and snickered for some reason.  This caused Gellert to feel another spike of dislike for the tall broad shouldered young woman.<br/>
Gellert found himself having the opposite feelings about Kereston, though. The little blonde witch's torrent of questions and positive attitude gave him plenty to work with. Swallowing his first bite of Eggs Benedict as fast as he could, Grindelwald had to wonder where to even start.<br/>
"Hi, I certainly did. We were indeed discussing some enchantments, in particular an intriguing method of alerting the wizards in charge to a danger ahead. That is an interesting choice of pet you have there! I didn't know those spiders were even for sale in any Western country. How remarkable! Where do you get the appropriate spider food for him," Gellert wondered with genuine curiosity.</p><p> </p><p>"He came from a dark wizarding pet shop in Knockturn Alley," Kereston replied cheerfully of her Acromantula. "He eats people food, actually. I thought, well those in the wild likely eat animals at best, or people at worst but he's mine and if I raise him to eat something different he'll like it and he does...yes he does," she concluded, crooning to the happily cuddling spider. She couldn't hide her disappointment at the current project Grindelwald had shared, though, so her face fell after she'd concluded her explanation of her pet.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"I hoped you were working on personal protections for all of us," she said somberly.</p><p> </p><p>To Gellert's surprise, Millicent bit her lip, fear shadowing her dark brown eyes as she nodded her agreement.  It was odd for him to imagine the bully of a troll girl frightened of anything or anyone.</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah Voldemort will be after Slytherins especially. He expects us to follow him as he was in Slytherin house and will likely take it personally if we don't." She struggled not to hug herself, not wanting to seem a coward in front of Wolfgang, though she'd never hidden her fear from him at least in words. Millicent's carefully cultivated dumb act had been to keep her safe but if it failed she felt royally screwed and hoped Grindelwald could at least help to keep them safe if stupid prophesies wouldn't allow him to kick Voldemort's ass personally. The name put her on edge, but it was better, far less submissive, than calling him the dark fucking lord.</p><p> </p><p>"Of course I haven't had the opportunity to get familiar with the kind of menace this Voldemort has become. It is hard to imagine..." Gellert trailed off, realizing the only natural conclusion to such a sentence would only betray his pride.<br/>
Justified or not, but he simply could not conceive of a Dark Lord more formidable than himself, able to instill that much awe. Fear, was more apt, he reasoned with himself. He never thought to inspire fear, only to impress the masses with the grandeur of his performance.</p><p> </p><p>But if the Tycho Dodonus prophecies were correct, and he gambled everything on the fact that they were, this Voldemort had to be the prophesied Dark Lord who thrived on terror, the one he was meant to oppose, until his original goals got twisted into something even he barely recognized afterwards.</p><p> </p><p>"Animals are too much trouble, but at least hers will learn to talk someday," Blaise said grudgingly of Kereston's spider, gaze flicking to Gellert as he spoke, obviously addressing his comment to the blonde at his side.</p><p> </p><p>Ice blue eyes moving from Kereston to Millie he added, "We have time to make everything and we'll be working on that as well, so do keep your heads on."</p><p> </p><p>"So true," Grindelwald softly concurred, his own slightly amused smile reminding him more than anything of the man he used to be.</p><p>Attachments and needy pets were annoying so the animal should at least be able to talk if one required its service.  Gellert had never been one for strong attachments of any kind, at least, that was how he used to think, until recently.  Perhaps some attachments were necessary, he mused, thoughtful look settling back onto Blaise Zabini.</p><p> </p><p>Distracted by the weight of Gellert's eyes and finding himself staring back into them for far too long, Blaise didn't notice when his mother drew up sharply behind his chair. When she spoke her voice was as sharp as her movements."I'd like to speak with you outside in the hallway, Mr. Grindelwald. Now." Sabra Zabini's request was stated as a firm command and even her posture was expectant as she waited for him to rise as he was ordered to.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Ain't nobody got a mum like mine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gellert was startled when Blaise's mother demanded to see him outside in the hall.  No one had success by making such demands of him back in the old days, but these were new days and he had to force himself to keep his shoulders straight and his head erect as he calmly rose from his chair.<br/>
"Yes, Madame, how may I be of service," Gellert cautiously wondered as he accompanied the fearsome lady outside, wishing he had even a hint of an idea about what awaited him in the hall.</p><p> </p><p>Sabra Zabini did not speak until they were outside the great hall with the doors closed. She then flicked her wand around them in a circle, murmuring a silencing charm so that no one passing by or attempting to eavesdrop from inside could hear what was said by the two in the circle. She knew her son, after all, and wouldn't put it past him to decide he should be in on the conversation even when not invited.  She could've been proud of such behavior when not directed at her own goals.</p><p> </p><p>"So..."She said, locking gazes with the blue eyes of Gellert Grindelwald, thinking strangely how much like her own they were. Gellert's were just a few shades darker and warmer than her own ice blue that she'd passed down to Blaise, but still they were very similar indeed. "What is it, precisely, that you think to achieve by seducing my 17 year old son? He may be legal, but that won't stop me from stopping your intentions, whatever they are, trust you me."</p><p> </p><p>Her tone was calm but as ice cold as her eyes and as firm as a mountain.  Though the lady was only average in height and willow thin, she somehow managed to be formidable.  She stood in a winter green flowing floor length dress of summer silk and somehow managed to radiate the feeling of pure ice.  To Gellert's mind, She had the cold lovely grace of a ship's figurehead.  When she spoke so bluntly of he and     Blaise...together, Gellert literally had to struggle to keep an expression of true shock from his face. How had she known?</p><p> </p><p>Though he never used to shy away from a confrontation, things were different now. His mental state was still subdued by a long lasting punishment that he did not wish to endure again. And to make matters worse, this feeling business made him...feel, vulnerable.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
Though he'd enjoyed the women in his life well enough, none of them had meant anything to him.  Blaise was different, though.  He connected to Blaise in a way akin to the way he connected with himself.  Nothing else had ever felt like that.  The connection wasn't just sexual though that had definitely been above and beyond anything he'd ever experienced in the past.  The connection was mental on so many levels.  Blaise saw magical connections much the same way Gellert did and approached spellwork in a similar way that no one else had ever been able to fully grasp.  The two had similar moralities and Gellert enjoyed the fact he could be free to fully express himself to Blaise.  Unlike with anyone else, he didn't have to make a pretty rational for why he thought as he thought or did as he did.  Blaise wasn't blind with worship as were his former followers, either.  He just wanted to know Gellert the man, not what he had once stood for.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It was just unfortunate that something so wonderful could suddenly become so complicated. On one hand there was Blaise, who surprised him into experiencing previously unexplored physical sensations as well as a strong emotional connection the likes of which he'd never expected.  On the other hand there was his mother, whose good graces he perhaps needed.  He simply could not afford to alienate her with a flippant response of the sort he would have given to anyone else, and still itched to give despite every consideration of caution. He tried to remind himself to think it all over more carefully, but the words spilled out of his mouth of their own volition, choosing their own course.</p><p>"No disrespect intended, but I can hardly be expected to achieve anything from a 17 year old boy. I have learned to take care of myself when I was 16 years old. Proper care or not, but I took responsibility over my life. And anything I ever required for myself, I had the skills to build. Be they charms, or an empire of followers. I never needed partners equal to me, and never met superior ones. So your assumption can never apply to the likes of me," Gellert spoke, though his old time arrogance was not as fully evident in his voice as it would have been once.</p><p> </p><p>And did he not truly consider Blaise a partner and an equal at least in potential?   If Blaise was willing to take the title, of course he did, but that had nothing to do with the purity of their connection.  It had been mutually formed with no ulterior motives what so ever.</p><p> </p><p>"When your son offered to...explore the physical element of our acquaintance, I did find his logic to be infallible. He was correct in suggesting that we could benefit each other, only perhaps not in the way you would have suspected.<br/>
In other words, if other words are necessary, whatever you believe I hoped to get from him, he already encouraged me to take, and gave me no indication that the, well, taking was bound by any time constraints or limited in any way. Is that going to be a problem? I don't blame you, but if it is, I suppose Blaise might need to be invited to participate in this conversation and to be made aware that our budding...acquaintance is being frowned upon," Gellert suggested, almost tactfully, for him.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
Only when interacting with someone's mother did Gellert truly realize that he knew little to nothing about parent child interaction.  He lacked as much personally having lost his own at such a young age.  The dynamic was foreign to him yet he found himself thrust into it regardless in this particular situation.  He suddenly understood that this was one reason the exchange was so uncomfortable.  It was parental in nature and he had no experience with that at all.</p><p> </p><p>Sabra's expression made her inner struggle evident as she mentally floundered for words while her mouth opened and shut a few times, eyes nearly bulging as they stared at Gellert Grindelwald. She was quite unable to hide her shock and incredulity so didn't bother trying. Her son...was...He fancied boys, or at least one boy.  And she'd believed Grindelwald had taken advantage of her son but it seemed to have gone the other way around with the poor man just out of prison!</p><p>Sabra decided to momentarily latch onto the one point she could address properly, out of family pride if nothing else.</p><p> </p><p>"As for what you could want from him, you once needed followers.  You could be starting by ensnaring another who has friends and influence to build your following anew. It's useful and don't bother to pretend that it wouldn't be were such your plans.  Blaise is not insignificant. He travels in high social circles if few of them. He does have taste as well as standards, after all," she said, struggling to draw her own customary haughtiness around her like a cloak of dignity.</p><p> </p><p> It would've worked too were she not floundering over the other bit.<br/>
"However...as you did not do what I incorrectly accused you of doing, that point is perhaps irrelevant. I was...unaware that my son was a predator," she said carefully, attempting to edge her way toward an apology with some amount of dignity.<br/>
"I...I...the last I was aware he fancied girls...but...if this has changed...I suppose he went big...I mean..."She spluttered, wondering in inner frustration why why why she had to choose such wrong words while putting her foot in her mouth. "I...That is, at least no mother can complain about anyone bringing you home, as it were, even if the gender happens to be the same..."<br/>
She drew in a breath while struggling to collect herself.</p><p> </p><p>If Gellert understood her halting, embarrassed words properly, she had just given him a compliment.  It appeared not all the dark wizards of today found him unworthy or unimpressive.  Though he was still hesitant to draw any sort of conclusion that would set him at ease, he felt flattered.<br/>
"Thank you," he said, feeling his own face breaking into a shy smile.<br/>
It must be the parent thing because no one ever made him feel shy.</p><p>Sabra gave a brief nod.<br/>
"Which reminds me," she said briskly.  "Is he bringing you home for Christmas? Because I start arrangements early." Frowning her eyes scanned Gellert from head to toe. "And those clothes are ill fitting. I didn't see Adler bringing you more. Shall we take you clothes shopping? I don't expect you have any money but it's not an issue for us so don't fret it.</p><p> </p><p>She waved a hand dismissively before he could fret it<br/>
You and Blaise shall surely make plenty on your collaborations.  He is very driven, you know, and wanting his own independence when it comes to finances, not that we've ever deprived him of anything.  He's already sold enchanted items to a few school mates, and with the two of you working together, it's only a matter of time before you come up with items to sell."</p><p> </p><p>Gellert had prepared some counter arguments. He was going to claim ignorance of social connections, inability to use his body to seduce a young man, however gifted. He even started drawing strength from the initial accusation to launch his own defense, and then her conclusion took him utterly by surprise! An even greater surprise than the spell leveled at him that put him in Nurmengard, one he had expected to be able to counter but couldn't, for some reason.<br/>
"So you're saying..." It was his turn to flounder in this sea of unexpected motherly good graces.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, a soft kind of predator I suppose our Blaise could be called, considering his prey was most willing," he began to defend Blaise, then realized his defense may have brought him to the unfamiliar terrain of inescapable vulgarities that no ones mother would find amusing.<br/>
It was definitely time to move on and address something else the lady had said.<br/>
"Christmas, really? Well, I don't think we got to discuss it, that is, I would be honored, unless Blaise himself or the rest of your family objects. But you are certain of not objecting yourself? That is...unexpected. And you volunteer to take me clothes shopping? Well, I thought I would do just that at some point, only I didn't expect the opportunity to arrive so soon.  I accept, gladly," Gellert heard himself saying, his tone appropriately uncertain, considering how badly he was taken aback by the change in the conversation.<br/>
His mind then moved to her words on why he would want to ensnare Blaise, and now that she knew he had not done so it was safe to speak on the matter.</p><p> </p><p>"Ah, yes, Blaise is very special, I could see that right away. And I definitely understand being driven, some would say I was the same, and not always for everybody's greater good," Gellert unexpectedly confided, chuckling uncomfortably which to his ears sounded as uncharacteristic for him as his earlier uncertainty. The Zabinis proved to be a unique bunch, in his opinion, and made him experience quite unique emotions in turn.  Only moments earlier the woman had managed to practically terrify HIM, and now he felt comfortable enough to confide in her at least a little.</p><p> </p><p>Sabra studied Gellert Grindelwald as he spoke. A grand wizard, knowledgeable and worthy of respect and some awe still. Yet at the same time, uncannily such a boy now with that youthening potion and more uncertain than her own Blaise. At times she thought Blaise had grown up too fast and that this was the fault of his parents and their choices. She could've been guilty about that had she felt there were better choices to be made. Everyone had to pay a little thanks to Voldemort, may he die painfully.</p><p> </p><p>"I still honestly don't know quite what to make of the...two men bit, but Blaise has the right to do as he likes so long as it was his choice.  He is of age. And I most certainly wouldn't invite you to Christmas did I not mean it," she said a bit sharply, giving Gellert a stern frown.<br/>
"Now lets go back in there and finish breakfast then we're off clothes shopping. Consider it my apology for taking your head off over the entire thing."</p><p> </p><p>Sabra Zabini was the black widow even if her only husband was still very much alive and she did not apologize.  Striding back into the great hall, she paused beside Bramble's chair where he sat at Geo's other side from where she'd been sitting.<br/>
"When you've finished eating, would you put that folder Millicent and Wolfgang brought for Gellert in his dorm room, please? He will be clothes shopping directly after breakfast, so he can read it when we return."<br/>
The elf nodded, then turned gravely to Gellert.<br/>
"Did the butterbeer that Bramble made turn out suitably?  Did Gellert Grindelwald get enough energy from the mixture? If it was not enough, Bramble can continue to work to improve his methods."</p><p> </p><p>"We had plenty of energy for everything we needed to do last night, thank you, Bramble," Gellert replied honestly, struggling and nearly succeeding to keep an amused smile from his face.</p><p> </p><p>"I bloody bet you did," Kereston said with a laugh, and Sabra chuckled then attempted to hide the fact that she'd laughed by pretending to cough.</p><p> </p><p>"Would Gellert Grindelwald like more today," Bramble asked.<br/>
His grave expression did not waver, indicating his lack of curiosity concerning the amusement of Sabra or Kereston.</p><p> </p><p>"What'd I miss," Blaise's father asked, glancing from his wife to Kereston then back again.</p><p> </p><p>"Trust me you don't want to know," Sabra said dryly.<br/>
"I'll still tell you later anyway," she added with a smirk.</p><p>"More butterbeer of the sort you made yesterday would be wonderful, if it isn't too much trouble," Gellert told the elf with a pleased smile.</p><p>"I'd like more as well, please," Blaise said.  "Gellert and I have a lot of work to do today on items of defense for the school as well as the medallions we spoke of yesterday for all of us to wear."<br/>
He'd given Gellert a look of open curiosity when he and Blaise's mum had returned from their conversation, but he knew he'd have to wait until they were alone for the details.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"We're going clothes shopping for Gellert right after breakfast, so Bramble can have the drinks ready for you when you return," Sabra said.<br/>
Blaise couldn't help giving his mother a surprised glance.  It was nice she was taking Gellert clothes shopping, but still he wondered why.</p><p> </p><p>Reading the question in her son's eyes Sabra huffed a sigh.</p><p>"I wanted to give Gellert something in way of an apology for jumping down his throat.  I somehow thought him the sort to perhaps seduce an innocent young boy, but I was set straight.  Apparently I raised a little spider predator."</p><p>She actually laughed as she shook her head while Blaise tried not to flush.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. The Emperor's New Clothes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As soon as everyone was finished with breakfast, Sabra shepherded them out of the Great Hall and then out of the school and off the grounds.  Blaise's father came along but Bramble remained at Hogwarts to attend to the requested butterbeer with energy.</p><p> </p><p>"Are you looking for clothes," Blaise asked his dad as they walked through Hogsmeade.<br/>
"No.  I'm here in case more Dementors come calling or worse.  And before you say you took care of yourself, I understand that logically but my emotions get loud and they say that I'm your dad and I don't care."</p><p> </p><p>Blaise sighed, but Gellert couldn't help giving the elder Mr.  Zabini a smile of amusement.  Geo Zabini grinned back.  As they walked, Gellert looked around the town in interest.</p><p> </p><p>"Have you been here before," Blaise asked and Gellert nodded.</p><p>"Many years ago," he said, suddenly feeling far older than the young man at his side.</p><p>"Has it changed much," Blaise asked.</p><p>"Not much from what I can see," Gellert replied.  "Most of the shops seem different than I remember, but shops come and go.  The general look is much the same."</p><p>"Not surprising," Geo said.  "Wizards are slow to change, especially those in the U.K."</p><p> </p><p>"There is an interesting clothing shop just around the corner," Sabra told Gellert.  "It's called the Emperor's New Clothes.  Blaise has shopped there a few times for dress robes and slacks."<br/>
"They carry classy outfits and also some more unique bits.  I got a winter cloak with interesting runework on the hood and hem last year," Blaise said.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Gellert felt a fleeting smile of amusement crossing his face at the shop's name, and this made him feel younger again.  It was odd, but Gellert found himself excited to shop for clothes.  Everything felt so new when one was not able to do it for over fifty years.</p><p> </p><p>It happened almost as soon as they walked into the shop!  Blaise's eyes were scanning for something worthy.  When he saw the 2 cloaks hanging against the back wall he stopped in his tracks and made a small sound of pleased awe. By worthy he'd meant some robes of decent fabric and design, but this... This was special!</p><p> </p><p>"Gellert! Look," he breathed, then wanted to kick himself for using the other man's name in public. Of course there could be other people named Gellert but still...That was dangerous and stupid.<br/>
Blaise felt his face flaming and opened his mouth to give an embarrassed apology, but Gellert, as impressed with the cloaks as he, didn't seem to notice. He hastily moved forward to have a closer look and Blaise followed him to the back wall where they hung.  The cloaks were clearly made from Runespoor skins as the orange with black stripes was obvious and even more so the 3 heads.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
Gellert was lightly touching one of them and Blaise carefully lifted down the other. The price tag read 700 galleons. Very expensive but very worth it.<br/>
"We so need these," he breathed. "Not just for the fashion, though that will be astoundingly impressive and amazing," he told Gellert. "But also for the magical properties. If they don't already have something useful going on naturally it wouldn't be overly difficult to utilize that which is surely dormant and ad some protective layers. Many wizard researchers believe runespoors to be the physical embodiment of the patronus as I'm sure you already know. Mum will get these for us I'm sure!"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"You don't think she will object," Gellert asked, blue gaze dropping doubtfully to the price tag on the cloak he touched.<br/>
"We'll insist," Blaise told him, flashing a careless grin. His gaze held the same eager light for the cloaks that Gellerts did. Waving his mum over he explained why they needed them, for magical research and with a slight shrug, Sabra called the wizard behind the counter to wrap them up.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"I was looking at the shoes," she told Gellert. They carry a few different styles. Lets get you started trying some of them, then we'll move onto the robes."</p><p> </p><p>Blaise watched as his mum proceeded to boss and mother Gellert Grindelwald. Hurrying him onto a bench near the shoes she brought down several styles and when Gellert indicated which he liked, she actually began to try them on for him.  Kneeling on the floor in front of him, she tugged off the shoes of Blaise's he was borrowing to check for his shoe size. When Gellert bent to attend to it himself, Sabra imperiously waved him away.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"I'll be faster. Mothers always are," she told him briskly.</p><p> </p><p>"You're special. She never does that for me," Blaise quipped playfully when the shoe selection was over and Sabra was carrying 4 shoe boxes up to the front counter.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert gave an embarrassed grin as he shoved his borrowed shoes back on. Looking up at Blaise from where he was bent down over his foot, golden hair fell across his cheek and Blaise felt his breath catching.  Gellert was so beautiful! What the hell!  He looked away in order to keep his focus.</p><p> </p><p>"So onto robes?? I think she'll let you try those on for yourself," he said with a chuckle as Gellert stood.</p><p> </p><p>As predicted Gellert was allowed to try on his own robes. Pants and shirts as well! It took a while because Gellert selected carefully. Were it anyone else, Blaise would've been impatient but he didn't mind waiting about for Gellert and watching him choose his clothes because it was hot.   The blonde attempted to stop at 3 outfits, but Sabra insisted he needed more. He was finally done at 10 outfits and 9 robes. That with the 4 sets of shoes and one pair of gleaming black boots completed everything. It turned out they had to go to another store for underthings and by the time they did that, it was time for lunch. "I'm starved," Blaise said and Gellert nodded enthusiastically.</p><p> </p><p>"Gellert just needs a coat and we should be set for now," Sabra said. "There is a lovely shop just a block up that I think will have some he'll like." Indeed Gellert found a long gray coat that he mentioned being like one he used to own. Seeing how striking he looked in it when trying it on, Blaise got one to match. Slipping it on he modeled it in front of a long full length mirror against the shop's right wall.<br/>
"Well, what do you think," he asked Gellert, turning his head from right to left to study himself to the fullest.</p><p> </p><p>"Brilliant," Gellert said, gaze warm as he locked eyes with Blaise in the mirror.<br/>
"Well I think the two of you look ridiculous in matching coats," Sabra complained, but when Blaise put his on the counter with Gellerts she bought it with only a slight frown and shake of her head.  As she'd done after they'd paid at the other two shops, Sabra called for Bramble to apparate the items back to Blaise and Gellert's room at Hogwarts.</p><p> "Thank you both," Gellert said, turning to Blaise's parents. "You are very generous..."<br/>
From the shy discomfort on his face, it was clear Gellert was feeling more and didn't know how to put it into words. Sabra smiled and patted his shoulder.<br/>
"It's alright Dear. It was fun...Wasn't it fun, Geo," she asked her husband with an amused look as they headed back to Hogwarts.<br/>
"Oh yeah," Geo said, widening his eyes expressively. "My favorite thing to do ever...all the time...Never again." He laughed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Albus VS Gellert, the verbal duel?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When they arrived back at Hogwarts, they went directly to lunch.  Blaise was tempted to take Gellert to sit at the Slytherin table so they could have more of a private conversation.  He wanted to know what, exactly, his Mum had said to Gellert out in the hall.  It seemed that would have to wait, though. Professor Snape was already seated at the staff table, and he waved them over as soon as he caught sight of them walking in.</p><p> </p><p>"I wanted to speak with you, Mr. Grindelwald, concerning the matter of Lord Voldemort," he said before they even had an opportunity to be seated.</p><p> </p><p>"I am afraid I have not had a chance to look through the folder on him that I was provided yet.  I just returned from clothes shopping, but it shall be my priority as soon as we've eaten lunch," Gellert replied.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes I am aware.  This concerns a more personal view of Voldemort.  After you've finished going over the folder, I can perhaps give you a more intimate view of the...of Voldemort.  I am in his service...as an under cover agent," Severus explained.<br/>
"I can show you all of my many interactions with him in a Pensieve whenever you are ready."</p><p> </p><p>Gellert's eyes lit with interest as he and Blaise took seats side by side. Other than the Zabini family and Gellert, Snape was the only other person at the table.  The Great Hall was otherwise empty.</p><p> </p><p>"That would be helpful indeed," Gellert thoughtfully confirmed, his mind slowly returning from the necessary but tedious shopping expedition to the more stimulating questions of arcane theory that Snape's words brought to mind.<br/>
</p><p>"Information in a dossier can be quite detached, barely scratching the surface. Some time ago I attempted to predict the moves of this old alchemist, Nicholas Flamel, with only written documents to draw from. My reading of his history gave me the impression that he would have a considerable self interest I could hope to exploit, and nothing went further from the truth. From that point on, I began to fully appreciate a more personal report.<br/>
</p><p>But there is another element I could apply that may also interest you. A few months before my unfortunate failure and subsequent imprisonment, I had begun working on something fairly new...well, you would probably get bored with the technical details that excite me. Most people do. In short, I am hoping to conduct a spectral analysis of your impressions. To compare some interactions with others and observe how your mental activity may have changed. I would not insult your efficacy at Legilimency or anything of the like. But some manipulations are more subtle than others. To change the course of one's thoughts could be a brutal invasion into the mind that leaves traces, where other, less obvious methods could work just as well to set the ground.</p><p>I am most curious about Voldemort's particular level of subtlety. Most wizards and news reports do not seem to indicate a lot of it which troubles me. It seems unlikely for a man who rose so high to rise through primitive methods alone. If you happen to remember the times when you felt less trusted during your interactions, I would appreciate you writing them down. 
</p><p>That would help me focus my analysis on the points that have the potential to matter the most. If he is really good, he probably erased all traces of his influence, which would make your mental activity fairly consistent. I have been working on a way to test the impressions left in the Pensieve for consistency by exposing them to a kind of modulated turbulence. Unfortunately I did not get a chance to fully test my methods, so we would see how all of this works out. In the worst case, it should not be too damaging, time consuming, or revealing, which is all one could hope for when facing a dangerous foe," Grindelwald quickly spoke, his mind running in multiple directions, already considering how to best fine tune his idea.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
"I'd love to learn more of this spectral analysis," Blaise said, very much interested in the technical details of rare and unusual magics. Once again he felt the rush the thrill of finding a like mind gave him. It was energizing and stimulating. "I'd very much like to watch when you get to that bit if that's alright," he said eagerly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"I am sure you would," Grindelwald agreed with an approving smile. Though ordinarily he would have injected considerable sarcasm when directing such words at any lesser wizard, he actually meant what he said to Blaise. The young Zabini proved to be a gifted enchanter, with a curiosity to rival Gellert's own. "It is quite alright. In fact, after you learn the basics, I may require your assistance in this matter. The concept is simple enough.<br/>
</p><p>You reverse the memory points as projected onto the Pensieve, approximate it with an equivalent magical stream, project it onto a suitably susceptible surface, such as a wizard's skull, and then introduce a filtering current to evaluate the consistency of the mental activity. The filtering needs to be more precise, which is the one area where I would need your skills at precision. A smaller measure, I suspect, might be needed than the one I had introduced originally. The accuracy should increase by 13 percent, if I am correct. At any rate, it would be most intriguing to work on it. With your contribution, the project should go much faster..." Gellert eagerly admitted, already looking forward to the glorious future when their success was but a stepping stone to further discoveries.</p><p> </p><p>"If the two of you are going to consider robbing graves for a wizard's skull, it isn't happening," Sabra Zabini said firmly.<br/>
"It simply isn't safe. Once Voldemort is dead, you may rob all the graves your two little black hearts desire.  Until then there are some very dark catalogs that carry just about anything a self-respecting dark wizard could want.  I will order you a wizard's skull tonight and it should be here by tomorrow if I pay extra, which I will."</p><p> </p><p>The catalogs had gotten faster with their deliveries, Gellert thought.<br/>
"Why thank you, Ma'am," he said and couldn't resist ducking his head a bit under Mrs. Zabini's approving smile.<br/>
"Anything to help the cause and keep my boys safe," she said.</p><p>Her boys? Could she have accepted him so readily? And if so why? Though Gellert was not at all displeased, he couldn't help but wonder.</p><p> </p><p>Severus's expression was thoughtful as he listened to Grindelwald. The large white owl who usually seemed to be in his company of late had hopped down from the back of his chair and begun eating from his plate.<br/>
"I don't see why we can't give it a try," Snape said carefully.  "I am always interested in learning new ways of studying such things, after all."</p><p>The owl suddenly went still then raised its head to briefly glance at Grindelwald before lowering it to the plate again. Snape seemed to hesitate then he spoke.<br/>
</p>
<p>
"Someone else who deals with Voldemort feels...very strange in his presence. I only mention this in case it has anything to do with the spectral work of which you speak. This person feels very strange in the presence of the dark lord, feels the man's evil on perhaps an auric level? This isn't really something I understand or deal with," he said, almost apologetically. "This person is always saying how...wrong the Dark Lord feels. I understand I am not explaining this properly, not having felt it myself. It isn't that he doesn't bother me, but perhaps my feelings are simply due to what I know about him...what he has done and will do."</p><p>Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Are you able to convince this other person to add his testimony into the Pensieve? Having the ability to compare two impressions could create sufficient data for the spectral analysis to progress...without throwing precise numbers at you, I shall say considerably faster. That could indeed be very helpful. I don't know much about auras either, but that kind of viewing is magically deep and on the personal level, insightful to aid our work.  Spectral analysis greatly benefits from the ability to make multiple comparisons of mental streams," Gellert slowly explained, his tone resembling that of an eager hunter about ready to shoot the proverbial arrow at his prey.</p><p> </p><p>Severus hesitated and oddly, he glanced at the owl when Gellert asked his question. "Yes...He will," he said. "We all want this to end."<br/>
Before Gellert could reply, expressing his appreciation and agreement on the sentiment expressed by the potions master someone else entered the room. An old man with long white hair and a beard in typical robes. Old...At least as old as he himself would have been was he not given that potion of life to restore his youth. Staring at the far older man was unsettling and strange in a way he could not quite describe with that in mind. The man's gaze was on Severus then an expression of mild surprise crossed his features when he noticed Gellert.<br/>
</p><p>"Well. Severus did inform me that you were here but with all the current stresses I must admit to forgetting." He smiled slightly in amusement, though the expression didn't quite touch his eyes. Gellert read intelligence in those sharp blue eyes, but at present didn't know what to make of him otherwise. He seemed only for an instant to be mildly uncomfortable before straightening his shoulders and seemingly drawing a mantle of dignity about himself.<br/>
</p><p>"Welcome to Hogwarts, Mr. Grindelwald. I am Albus Dumbledore, the school's headmaster. Severus assures me that you are the responsibility of Mr. Adler, but while you are here I must add that I expect you to behave better at Hogwarts than you did at Durmstrang. In other words if you are wondering if a thing is permissible or not, if it would get you thrown out, please refrain from indulging yourself."<br/>
</p><p>"Good day to you, Mr. Zabini," the old headmaster added, nodding at Blaise and giving him a friendly smile. "I hear you will be working with Mr. Grindelwald on some items to aid and protect us in this time of war and it is appreciated. I certainly am pleased to see you living up to that great potential even before you have graduated. I always knew you would accomplish great things and I am happy to see it already beginning now."</p><p> </p><p>Blaise looked fleetingly surprised but gave a pleased smile. "Why thank you, Headmaster."</p><p> </p><p>Dumbledore. The same last name as his arch enemy Aberforth who had contributed to his painful downfall.  When Blaise spoke earlier of Dumbledore as Headmaster it had never occurred to Gellert to think of the other Dumbledore brother, though it should've. So great was his hatred for Aberforth that over the past fifty years of imprisonment, Gellert somehow forgot about Albus.  Likely because unlike Aberforth, Albus had never interfered with his business.  In fact until this moment they'd never had cause to meet face to face.</p><p> </p><p>At least this particular Dumbledore seemed relatively harmless.  Albus was rumored to be a child prodigy in Gellert's own day, already renowned for discoveries and profound essays when Gellert was only beginning his own education at Durmstrang. In spite of such early accomplishments, the Albus boy was only a few years older than Gellert. For his part, Gellert had found Albus's brand of scholastic pursuits dull and lacking in excitement so hadn't kept up with the other boy's doings.</p><p> </p><p>In the end it seemed all he was able to do with that prized mind of his was to run a school. The thought was a bit scathing and Gellert couldn't help it.</p><p>"Rest assured I have no interest in any of my former pursuits, Headmaster," he told Albus. "I have developed new interests so you have nothing to worry about." As he spoke, Gellert projected a hard mental image at the other man of he and Blaise tangled together on their bed in the Slytherin dorm, mouths locked in a passionate kiss as their hands explored one another.<br/>
</p><p>Though he admittedly couldn't resist being cheeky, Gellert was also poking around to see if the other man were truly as talented as word would have it. Dumbledore's eyes widened in horror and he choked as he took a step backward, then turned rapidly toward the door. "That...That was unnecessary," he said a bit faintly as he hurried out. Gellert felt a smile of gleeful satisfaction spreading across his face. Severus Snape looked alarmed and stood. "Albus. Wait...What's wrong?" And he hurried after the headmaster in a sweep of black robes.<br/>
</p><p>"And then there were..." Gellert paused and scanned the table. Bramble, Mr. and Mrs. Zabini and he and Blaise. "Only 5," he concluded with a gleeful chuckle.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. The truth will either set you free or only create more questions!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>What did you bloody do to him," Blaise asked, turning to Gellert and letting out an incredulous laugh!<br/>"I don't think even Voldemort has ever made Dumbledore run."</p><p>Gellert shrugged. "Nothing really."</p><p>The blonde's tone was casual, but a mischievous light sparkled in his blue eyes.</p><p>"I had no idea it would upset him that much."</p><p>"What did you do," Blaise pressed, curiosity growing.</p><p>"I showed him a mental image that apparently disturbed him more than I expected," Gellert said carefully.</p><p>"Of what," Blaise pressed, now mildly impatient as the suspense was killing him. For anyone to get to Dumbledore, well it was impressive. Though Gellert could likely do anything so if anyone could it would certainly be he.</p><p>Gellert's gaze moved pointedly from Blaise's equally curious parents back to the young man in question before he spoke.  He hoped Blaise would catch the meaning behind his glance, because he did not wish to share descriptions of the mental images he'd sent to test the skills of the Hogwarts headmaster with the Elder Zabinis.</p><p>"I showed him a mental image of a young woman who seems to fancy him very much. I tend to get glimpses into the future, and I simply showed him what I saw."</p><p>"Why did that upset him so much, I wonder," Sabra said. "I heard that he was quite distressed over that article of Skeeter's claiming he was in a relationship with you. So one would think any woman being kind enough not to believe it would please him." She gave a derisive titter and shake of her head.</p><p>"What article," Gellert asked, expression one of confused surprise.</p><p>Sabra shrugged dismissively and gave Gellert a brief three sentence rundown of Rita Skeeter's propensity to write lies and garbage.</p><p>"She usually limits her lies to tabloid articles, but she wrote an entire book about Dumbledore!  I think she may have called it the life and lies of Albus Dumbledore or something like that...She should've called it the life and all the lies I am about to tell about Albus Dumbledore," Sabra concluded with a chuckle and derisive shake of her head.</p><p>Gellert gave a slightly baffled smile and shrugged.</p><p>"Odd indeed as I've never seen the man before in my life."</p><p>Geo Zabini finally spoke up, eyes going slightly wide. "But didn't he...um...defeat you," he asked, shock making his Italian accent even thicker than usual. He was obviously wondering if Gellert had lost his mind or perhaps only his memory in Nurmengard. Blaise wasn't concerned though. Dumbledore had introduced himself to Gellert, after all. He pointed this out to his father then added, "For whatever reason someone saw fit to lie about Dumbledore's involvement."</p><p>"So he didn't defeat you in a duel," Geo asked Grindelwald.</p><p>Gellert shook his head, expression shadowing with the weight of old unpleasant memories.</p><p>"It took five ministries to take me down," he half growled, golden head lifting in a display of pride that Blaise had expected but had yet to see in the new defeated Gellert. He liked it!</p><p>A lot about the popular story of Grindelwald's defeat hadn't made sense to Blaise so though this turn of events was interesting, he couldn't truly say that he was surprised.</p><p>"But why did Albus Dumbledore get the credit for taking you down," Sabra asked, tone as shocked as her husband's expression.</p><p>"You shall have to ask him that, I am afraid," Gellert replied.</p><p>"It was his brother Aberforth who was instrumental due to his powers of necromancy. Did anyone mention that?"</p><p>Though his tone was casual enough and mildly curious, the look in his blue eyes was venomous.</p><p>Sabra shook her head. "No. Not at all. Not a single word."</p><p>Gellert's blonde brows drew together in a perplexed frown. "I wonder why?"</p><p>"Perhaps we should ask Albus Dumbledore that question as well," Sabra said firmly. "We should see him at dinner and I would truly like to know. That's a large part of wizarding history and politics a lot of someones in power obviously wanted covered up and apparently with lies."</p><p>"I don't like the government lying to me," Geo complained. "I mean I lie to them, but I'm just one man, not an entire government who is supposed to be here to serve and protect which should be relatively legal or something. This just sounds screwy."</p><p>"The truth is, the governments always had their intrigues. Each one, of the ones I had to deal with, believed they were protecting their national security. But it was what they saw as a threat to security. Which was really a threat to their unquestioned dominion over the public. The slogans they used though, it was as if my own inspired them," Gellert chuckled at the memory.</p><p>"I am not one to judge. I have done what I saw as best too. But when they deal with criminal elements they are supposed to oppose, or encourage the deaths of civilians it is their duty to protect, for the sake of protecting the secrets of the people in power, it began to look to me like my own idea of greater good was largely preferable to theirs. It wasn't like I wanted to delve into their dirty secrets truly, I would have rather avoided the cesspool, but knowledge always led me to power. And I needed to know more about them than they knew about me. Which worked well most of the time," Grindelwald explained, indirectly answering the questions he would have been curious about if he were either of the Elder Zabinis.</p><p>"So you're saying that whatever they used to take you down wasn't something they wanted known about. It was a secret they wanted to protect," Sabra asked thoughtfully.</p><p>"Exactly," Gellert slightly inclined his head in agreement, his unruly long hair spilling over both sides of his face with the gesture.</p><p>Blaise's attention was captivated by the spill of wavy gold and he felt his breath catch in a way it never had. No one got to him like that or at all really. He wanted to reach out and let the silken tresses flow through his fingers, to draw Gellert close and lose himself in the other wizard, but his parents were present so he had to focus on the conversation instead and this took far more effort than it should have. </p><p>It was all truly fascinating, not in the least dull.  Here he was sitting and listening to Gellert Grindelwald speaking of his government interactions and the intrigues he had witnessed decades before Blaise's own parents were born!  And the manner in which he spoke his observations characterized the sharply brilliant and maze like mind that made Gellert what he was and that Blaise could appreciate perhaps like none other.  Still Gellert had other charms that Blaise could also appreciate like none other and those could be distracting.  When Gellert spoke again, Blaise found his attention riveted by the other wizard's slightly husky German accented tones.</p><p>"There was some sinister project that Madame Picquery mentioned to Graves," Gellert said. "Since I was in possession of the man's identity at the time, I had to feign my awareness of it and was not able to ask any questions. But it seemed like an international secret of sorts. A Hungarian wizard I read about in newspapers and even some high level Austro Hungarian arch duke, both took part in this conference which I technically had the clearance to attend but was not sure how to enact the proper password with my wand to unlock the door.</p><p>Had I known how dire it was, of course I would have pursued the secret further, but alas, I deemed it beneath my notice at the time. I still do not know what it was, only that some wizards were blackmailed to keep it secret, others were forcefully stopped from revealing it. One big sordid affair, whatever it was," Gellert thoughtfully concluded, only the passage of time removing the once present bitterness at his failure to uncover the secret that may have eventually toppled his regime.</p><p>"Now that's interesting," Geo said, leaning forward in his chair, mostly empty plate now ignored on the table in front of him. "What could be that big of a secret?"</p><p>"Some sort of method to take Gellert down that was darker or more dangerous than they even believed Gellert to be," Blaise speculated. He was often quiet, listening to those around him, observing and mostly staying in his own head about it. He only spoke when he felt he had something to say that would add to the conversation be it through his amusing wit or an actual idea of value.</p><p>"And Dumbledore is just going to willingly spill the beans on such a thing simply because we will ask him at dinner,"Geo asked doubtfully.</p><p>"If he was even told," Sabra said.</p><p>"Well I think he'd better considering what we're up against right now," Blaise said, tone as grim as he was feeling on the matter. Kereston was right. The ministries were all corrupt in the worst of ways. Worst because it never helped the wizarding world they were set to protect in times of danger. Voldemort was at large, and somehow none of the inadequate ministries could seem to do a bloody thing about it.</p><p>"Well hopefully we will discover something at dinner either way. For now we'll leave you two to get some work done," Sabra said, standing to go. Blaise nodded, and when his parents had departed the Great Hall he turned to Gellert, finally able to ask a question that had plagued his mind all day.</p><p>"How did you get Mum to be all nice to you! You've got to tell me," he insisted eagerly. "I don't care I just need to know what you said to charm her. It's bloody impressive!"</p><p>Gellert shrugged. "I said nothing truly. Is that not the way she usually behaves?"</p><p>Blaise grinned, then outright laughed. "NO! She hasn't tried my shoes on for me since I was 5."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Baby don't you worry, I got you.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gellert felt his face flushing when Blaise mentioned Mrs. Zabini helping him try on his shoes at the clothes shop.  He'd never really been taken care of by anyone other than himself, and certainly never been mothered.  His own died when he was very young and his great aunt, while kind, had no children of her own and thus no mothering genes what so ever.  She had been friendly if distant and provided for him accordingly with kindness and distance.</p><p>"I suppose your mother was taken with my candor then. Perhaps it is refreshing in a world where wizards always lie, to protect not only their lives but also their reputation. I didn't feel as if I had anything of the kind to lose.  Nor did I think for a second that such a stern looking witch would be taken with any fables.  Not that I could come up with any on the spur of the moment to save my life," he said honestly, chuckling.</p><p>"So I was taken off guard by Mrs. Zabini demanding a private audience with me, and no way out of it but through the truth.  I saw, and you just confirmed, that my simple truth had quite unexpected if rewarding consequences.  Incidentally, I feel that is how some of my best spells were contrived as well," he shared, knowing that if anyone would understand his unusual applications of magic, it was Blaise.</p><p>"On the spur of the moment, driven by necessity, with my acute understanding of my limitations and an instant spark of awareness which connected my knowledge of spells to what needed to be done in the given moment."</p><p>Blaise nodded.<br/>
"So perhaps at times over thinking can be a bad thing and perhaps pressure utilizes other areas of the brain," Blaise speculated.<br/>
Blaise, always possessing a cool head, had truly never felt much pressure in his life so the thought was...interesting.</p><p>Gellert nodded.</p><p>"So it seems."<br/>
"And just like magic, my not having time to overthink this interrogation by your mother worked in our favor surprisingly well.  I must say that I had my doubts initially.  I did not know what would happen, what your mother might do. Who she might turn to to voice her complaint," Gellert admitted, the unease he felt coming out in a thickening of his German accent as he spoke.</p><p>"A thought was circulating in my mind that perhaps I am done for. This could be one of those things the half giant was warning me about. Me making a misstep that he cautioned would cost me dear. But I did not see how I could hide this thing between us from your mother.  And honestly it felt wrong somehow, to state anything but the truth.  I am not sure why, but it did. What a bit of luck that it did not actually cost us dear," Grindelwald mused, his smile clearly strained now.</p><p>The fear in Gellert's eyes as he spoke, the uncertainty from such a proud strong leader and brilliant wizard as was Gellert Grindelwald tugged at Blaise's heart in a way that made him want to protect and shelter someone for the first time in his life. He drew Gellert almost gently into his arms, one hand running softly through those beautiful golden locks.</p><p>"I get how ridiculous this must sound, but I swear I'll always protect you from anyone no matter what. Anyone who wants to come after you or us for anything will wish they hadn't, I swear it. I've always got your back, Gellert, no matter what." He kissed him then not caring if anyone happened to walk into the Great Hall. In truth it was as if the world had shrunk down to only the two of them and no one else was relevant.</p><p>(Cue music soundtrack, I got you, by Bebe Rexha)</p><p>Gellert was breathless and not complaining about it as he clung to Blaise, accepting the comfort that was so freely given.  Were it from anyone else it would've held little weight but from Blaise, it held a surprising amount and served to make Gellert feel safe.  Until Nurmengard he wouldn't have believed he needed such.  Perhaps he hadn't, or perhaps it was simply that Blaise hadn't been there.</p><p>The sound of a briskly cleared throat interrupted the moment followed by the noise of high heals clicking their way up to the staff table. "I have a vitamin drink for you, Gellert," Mrs. Zabini announced.</p><p>"I made Pomfrey mix it up so drink it right now while it's fresh."</p><p>She pushed a green glass bottle into Gellert's hand. She didn't comment on the interrupted embrace for which Blaise was grateful.<br/>
"Just because that potion returned your youth, doesn't mean it returned your health," Sabra continued firmly to Gellert.<br/>
"I want Pomfrey to check your blood too so we can see just how everything is, so come along with me to the hospital wing once you've gotten that drink into you. I'm going to have her return your blood to me once she's finished testing it and I shall give it to you. Never trust anyone with your blood," she concluded firmly, and Blaise smiled, feeling a sudden warm affection for his paranoid mother.</p><p>He loved his parents very much, but at times they could drive him ape shit. At others, though, they could be very wise not to mention sharp when it came to thinking ahead and preventing trouble before it came calling. He supposed that always made him feel safe. A good and pleasant thing when it didn't drive him up a bloody wall like with the stupid Dementor business yesterday.</p><p>"A drink?" Gellert questioned and his voice sounded a little startled to his own ears.</p><p>It was almost as if he didn't know what it was he was offered. It was of course the unexpected interruption that threw him off. He felt that the prison years did not break him too much. He could still possibly do a few things at a time, so long as none required any amount of deep concentration. Unfortunately for him, his interaction with Blaise proved even more enveloping than he had imagined it to be at the time. His mind found it rather difficult to extricate itself and adjust. Especially considering the relatively recent source of fear he was just discussing with the younger Zabini.</p><p>"Yes, Mam. I am aware of the intricate spells that can be done with one's blood. Being a romantic slave seems like the worst of the stories I have come across. There was a case in Belgium documenting basically a living Inferi. Well for all intents and purposes it was an Inferi, if not in name, strictly speaking."</p><p>"Romantic enslavement is your worst fear," Sabra Zabini asked incredulously, tossing back her head and laughing outright. "I was thinking more along the lines of a constant tracker via your blood or some complicated death curses or...well there is no reason to give you nightmares." Her light amused smile didn't seem to match her colorful descriptions unless one knew her well.</p><p>Indeed he'd had enough nightmares even if her descriptions were darkly amusing, Gellert thought as he drank down the contents of the bottle. The taste was pleasingly fruity rather than the bitter medicinal draft he was expecting.  It seemed some things improved over fifty years time after all.</p><p>"That's a good drink.  I appreciate it, and the concern for my blood," Grindelwald added sincerely, his calm slowly returning.</p><p>Placing the bottle on the table he stood.<br/>
"I am ready to have my blood tested, then.  Is Blaise coming with us," he wondered with some uncertainty, not wishing to betray his dependence on the younger Zabini.</p><p> Sabra shrugged, smile dryly ironic.<br/>
"I assume he plans to. Though afterward it would really be wise of the two of you to actually get to work rather than to one another. Save that for...when the rest of us are asleep. Adler does expect productivity. It's what you were freed for, after all," she told Gellert.</p><p>Her expression softened suddenly as she placed a hand on his slender shoulder.<br/>
"I can't imagine what you have to be going through right now. Were it up to me and were there no Voldemort with whom to contend, I would allow you as much time as you need to acclimate to being freed from an undeserved fifty years in a prison of your own making! And you do need to take things slowly so that your health and strength may be regained. I'll tell Adler that myself. But all the same, we do have a mad man to get rid of and we need all the help we can get."</p><p>"Especially with the end outcome having to depend on Harry bloody Incompetent Potter of all people," Blaise said, sensual lips curving down into a sneer of disgust as he rose and pointedly took Gellert's hand.<br/>
"And of course I was going to come with you. You can't keep me away!"</p><p>Gellert's hand tightened on Blaise's and he gave the other wizard a warm smile that Blaise would swear could heat his very soul. Grindelwald was truly living magic in the purest form and yes he was aware of how bloody silly it sounded, but it didn't make it any less true.</p><p>Sabra shot an accusing frown at her son. It was as if by speaking he'd drawn her negative attention.<br/>
"And you! I'm pleased to have raised a little predator, but not a sexual one. Let the man regain his feet before throwing your web at him."</p><p>"Noone ensnares Gellert Grindelwald if he isn't interested, Mother, and..." He found himself faltering for the mere fact that anything else he could've said was far more than he wanted to speak aloud.</p><p>To his mother or perhaps even to Gellert. If he blathered on too much about how he felt, it may very well scare off the only person he'd ever had a deep connection with. Then again Gellert didn't scare easily and Blaise was aware enough of himself to realize he was projecting his own feelings onto the other man. Blaise did not like it when girls became overly attached to him and to say he did not like it was putting it mildly. That didn't mean Gellert would feel the same when it came to the two of them. It was entirely different. They truly had something and those girls didn't even know him before they became all obsessed which clearly indicated their own shortcomings.</p><p>Realizing that he wasn't going to continue speaking, only glaring, Sabra Zabini sighed, shaking her head at her son. "I realize that. I just mean, letting him settle in for a bit wouldn't have hurt," she said almost gently.</p><p>Blaise frowned. "I think the timing was perfect and what we both needed, mother, but in truth it's no affair of yours."</p><p>Sabra gave a slight frown but shrugged elegantly. "Fair enough. Lets get that blood work done now."</p><p>As they all headed together from the great hall, Blaise looked over at his Mum.</p><p>"And thanks, Mum, for thinking about it."</p><p>It was practical that Sabra considered Gellert's health but also kind in her way and Blaise did appreciate that she took an interest in someone he so obviously had begun to care for.</p><p>When they were just outside of the hospital wing, Sabra stopped and turned to Gellert.</p><p> </p><p>"Pomfrey, the resident healer, isn't aware of your identity, Gellert, so I told her you're a family friend who is staying with us," she said.<br/>
"I don't believe Pomfrey to be on the wrong side of things, particularly, but that isn't an indication that she should be aware of such delicate information either."<br/>
Without waiting for a reply, she turned and led the way into the hospital wing, opening the door with an imperious flick of her wand. Before long Gellert's blood had been drawn and the two were free to go. Madam Pomfrey promised to have the results as well as whatever supplements may be needed to Gellert by breakfast and Sabra planned to wait until the tests were run to personally reclaim the blood herself. The process should take less than an hour, but Blaise was still surprised his mum would sit about and wait for that long with nothing to do. Surprised and oddly grateful, so he gave her a brief hug and murmur of thanks upon departing the hospital wing.  To his surprise, a flushed faced Gellert did the same, his embrace hasty and awkward, but Sabra smiled and patted his back before waving them away.</p><p>"Lets see if Dumbledore is in his office," Blaise told Gellert once they were out of the hospital wing.<br/>
He was ready to get right to work if only to escape the discomfort of his mum being all...mum on overdrive.<br/>
"I'd like to get the sorting hat into our hands for a bit so we can study it and he'll need to hand it over. If he isn't around, we'll look for Snape. He can probably get the hat for us or at least track down Dumbledore," he explained.</p><p>Fortunately for them, the headmaster was in, though he looked none too pleased to see them. Gellert remained quiet while Blaise talked, only smirking slightly at the headmaster of Hogwarts with a wild amused sparkle in his eyes. The expression made Blaise want to grab him and snog the hell out of him there and then. Once again he was amazed at the impact Gellert had on him. .hell!</p><p>"Headmaster," he greeted with a polite nod.<br/>
"We'd like very much to study the sorting hat. We feel the opportunity to study its enchantments could be useful to the work we're doing which includes some items to up the defenses on this school."</p><p>"I don't see why not," Dumbledore answered after a few seconds of consideration.</p><p> Blaise didn't bother to restrain the pleased smile that bloomed across his face.<br/>
"I've truly always wanted to study the sorting hat, but never had a legitimate reason before," he admitted, unable to hide his excitement on the matter.</p><p>To get his hands on something enchanted by the founders...something Slytherin himself had put his talents into, it was truly an amazing opportunity for someone with Blaise's interest in enchantments!  A sidelong glance at Gellert's eager expression showed Blaise that he felt the same way.</p><p>"Had you asked to examine the hat I certainly would have allowed it, Mr. Zabini," Albus Dumbledore replied with a slight look of bemused amusement on his bearded countenance.</p><p>"Well,"Blaise said, surprised and floundering a bit to hide as much. "Well thank you, Headmaster."</p><p>"I'll just get the hat now," Albus said and ducked back into his office without inviting them to follow. Likely he didn't want them to see precisely where it was, Blaise silently speculated. That hardly mattered so long as they could examine it, he supposed. Soon the headmaster was back, sorting hat in hand. He passed it over to Blaise and said, "You may have it until dinner time. I will collect it then and if you require it again, I shall let you borrow it. I need to reclaim it each night, though, as were anything to befall it beyond anyone's control I would be responsible."</p><p>Blaise nodded and thanked Dumbledore, while wondering what could happen to the hat at night were it not locked away in the headmaster's office. Could Voldemort possibly spirit it away while they were sleeping?  Hopefully not but who wanted that responsibility, Blaise thought as he and Gellert turned to go.</p><p> "Where would you like to study the hat," Blaise asked Gellert as they navigated the stairs leading away from Dumbledore's office.<br/>
Gellert smirked again in that mischievous way that made Blaise want to snog both of them breathless.<br/>
"The dining hall seems suitable. Then we'll be there when he comes to collect it later. We wouldn't want to lose track of time and send him into fits of worry were we elsewhere, after all."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Gellert Grindelwald Gets Sorted!!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As they walked back to the Great Hall, Blaise's attention shifted back and forth between Gellert's beautiful face and stunning golden haired profile to the sorting hat in his hands.</p><p>"So what's so special about it," Gellert asked.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>Was he talking about his own face, or his hair or his slender elegant body? Were it truly required, Blaise supposed he had no trouble expounding on any of the three.</p><p>"You would not be so eager to study it were it not worthy, so why? What makes it so," Gellert asked nodding at the hat Blaise carried.</p><p>"Oh! The hat," Blaise said.</p><p>Of course the bloody hat, he told himself, annoyed that his mind could so easily go apparently daft around Gellert's charismatic eyes. Still the subject of enchantments, talking shop as it were, could truly get Blaise going, and he immediately became enthusiastic as he began his explanation.</p><p>"Well...it is obviously an item of complex enchantments, but you or I can make items of complex enchantments so that's not the real bit that grabs me. Not even the fact it was made in part by Salazar Slytherin himself, though I'd love to study anything he made did it allow me to understand more of his style of magic. It's the fact the hat not only speaks aloud, but scans the mind of whoever wears it for the intention of placing the wearer in one of the four Hogwarts houses. <br/>At least I assume that is the original reason it was given the property of legilimency. I do wonder, though, if other hats or similar items with the same enchantments were used for other reasons. That is in part why I wished to study it. We could find many uses for an item with such abilities were we able to construct one. As if reading minds isn't complex enough for a hat, even a magic one, it also talks to you in your mind when it sorts you. It appears to be sentient at least on the matter of sorting. I never tried asking it about the weather, so I'm not sure how far the ability extends past the matter of the sorting itself."</p><p>Gellert laughed, tossing back his blonde locks as his eyes sparkled merrily at Blaise. Blaise felt his heart flutter in response and nearly gave a sigh of resignation.</p><p>"If we could create two that could be linked together, and get one onto the head of an enemy, let's say this Voldemort, and wear the other ourselves, we could tell what they are thinking at all times," Gellert said, and Blaise nodded.</p><p>Gifting someone with a fetching hat that helped to spy them out was a brilliant idea, but it was Gellert, so Blaise expected no less.</p><p>"Yes! There are so many ways to use such an item of power for more than the mere matter of sorting little kids into school houses!"</p><p>That did give him an idea, though, and he gave Gellert his slow lazy grin. "I am curious, however."</p><p>"What," Gellert asked, returning the smile with one that said plainly he was up for any challenge.</p><p>"Let's see what house you would be in. We'll put it on your head and let it sort you.  The experience will give you a feel for exactly how it works," Blaise said.</p><p>"Alright,"Gellert agreed readily as they entered the Great Hall.</p><p>"We usually sit on a stool to get sorted in our first year, but as I don't know where it is, hopefully the hat will respond even if you're on a chair," Blaise said, and headed up to the staff table where they had eaten their meals for the past day.</p><p>Pulling out the chair Gellert used for lunch, he gestured the blonde to sit, then placed the hat onto his head.</p><p>It shouldn't have come as a surprise that Gellert even looked hot in the sorting hat. Blaise supposed it was more of a surprise that he noticed how hot Gellert looked in the sorting hat. As Blaise watched, Gellert's expression went from expectant to focused. Something must be happening, but he would wait until Gellert was finished rather than interrupt to ask what the hat was saying even if he was intensely curious. Luckily he only had to wait about half a minute.</p><p>Gellert supposed he shouldn't have been surprised when the hat began speaking into his mind in a solid sounding yet soft voice rather than a mere thought concept. Blaise had explained the process, after all. Still the voice in his mind had almost startled him nonetheless.</p><p>"Hm," the hat said in a musing tone. Gellert could swear he felt it sifting through his head...or was it rather that he expected to feel it sifting through his head.</p><p>"I say, I can't sort you if you're trying to block my access," the hat complained.</p><p>Had he? He supposed he was so accustomed to the need to keep his mind shielded that he had never opened it to another willingly. He opened his mouth to apologize, then shut it again, realizing a thought would do. Would the hat even hear him if he spoke aloud?</p><p>"Probably," the hat replied. "Though I'm mostly attuned to in here...not out there... And apology accepted. Now let's stop chatting so we can get you sorted, shall we? Hm...Brilliant enough to be in Ravenclaw for sure, and you are brave and you do have some loyalty in you but you're far too ambitious, shrewd, and cunning to be suitable for any other house...Yes it's the one of the silver and green. The one where the most ambitious such as yourself, can truly flourish. You will be a great leader...Or wait...You have already been a great leader, and you shall lead again...but...What are you doing here then? In all my thousand and some years I have never ever been confused!"</p><p>The soft voice of the hat almost sounded affronted, and Gellert couldn't help a small smile.</p><p>"Forgive me, but I thought you didn't want to chat."</p><p>"Very well, then," the hat said. "I have a job to do and I shall do it. Your traits are such that you are truly only suited to one house. That of...""SLYTHERIN!""</p><p>The hat shouted the final word aloud, and Blaise gave a pleased laugh as he moved to hug Gellert.</p><p>"You got into Slytherin! That's the best house of course!  My mother and I were both sorted into it. Dad attended Durmstrang as you did, though."</p><p>Gellert returned Blaise's impulsive embrace, pleased with the hat's choice as well. Salazar Slytherin's house was an impressive one as was the man himself. It was also the house of Merlin and Nimue when they attended Hogwarts and of course Blaise himself so yes, Gellert was pleased.</p><p>"It only took a few seconds too," Blaise said as he lifted the hat from Gellert's head. "It didn't take very long with me either, though it dithered between Slytherin and Ravenclaw for a moment."</p><p>Gellert nodded. "I am guessing traits or imprints of all four of the founders were put into the hat, but knowing that is still rather a basic concept," Blaise said. He then proceeded to explain all he knew of the hat to Gellert as he took the chair beside him in which he'd sat earlier. He explained how the hat had a new song each year about itself and at some points even seemed to make cryptic comments regarding the future.</p><p>"So either one of the founders was a seer, or it hears things in the headmaster's office," Blaise concluded.</p><p>"I wonder what it will tell us and how much we can unravel of the magic even if it does not wish to share or is unable to share. It was understandably curious about me, so perhaps it will trade information to satisfy itself," Gellert speculated and Blaise handed the hat over to him.</p><p>"Go ahead and start. I'll watch then pitch in when I get something," he said.</p><p>The eager feeling that gripped him wasn't the same as the overwhelming lust he felt for Gellert but it was nearly as intense. The hunger to understand an enchantment coupled with the thrill of watching Gellert work and sharing that work with him as they discovered enchantments together.</p><p>Gellert decided to begin his exploration with more interaction.</p><p>"You know you want to know more about me, don't you," Gellert suggested, putting the intriguing hat back on.</p><p>To his own mind, he sounded like one of those animated advertising cards that used to come by owl post from various wizarding catalogs selling anything from magical toothpicks that did all the work for you to self tying shoelaces.  Such companies always put an attractive young wizard or witch at the card's center, so that you wouldn't be able to put it down, while it offers you a host of enchanted items you really have no need or place for.</p><p>Of course, unlike any of these cards, Gellert was really offering something of value as far as he was concerned.</p><p>"Of course I do, for you brim with mystery..., but what will you be wanting in return," the hat asked suspiciously.</p><p>"Minds like yours always want something."</p><p>"Just a glimpse into your inner workings," Gellert coaxed.</p><p>"We are enchanters and always seek to learn from great works like your esteemed self," he flattered.</p><p>"Never," the hat nearly shouted, shutting its mouth with a decisive snap.</p><p>"See here," Blaise told the hat, snatching it up and placing it on his own head in case doing so served to make the communication even more clear.</p><p>"As you are well aware dark wizards do not always mean evil wizards and we're not out to harm the world as Voldemort is likely to do if you don't help us to stop him. We simply wish to learn how you operate and incorporate it into our own work. If you know so much you'd see that we're both enchanters and we were tasked to use our skills in the fight against Voldemort. You could keep out of it aside from your dire warnings or you could excel and help. We won't share any of what you've told us," he concluded, tone only mildly peevish and impatient.</p><p>He was met with a silence that he hoped was thoughtful, so he looked at Gellert and shrugged.</p><p>"It can be all on your terms," Gellert cajoled, a small smile playing on his lips. He felt a certain thrill from having a challenge. Having something to work for that was not immediately yielding. In the area of magic he had not experienced anything similar since his youth.</p><p>The hat began to murmur then, as if to itself.</p><p>"The first one has great potential, and this one as well. Different talents, and similar. Truly, truly. What a conundrum. It almost reminds me of an earlier song. But never mind that."</p><p>It cleared its nonexistent throat.</p><p>"I suppose, I shall deal, on limited terms. You will know what you need to know, and no more. Do not ask me for the location of the Sword though. Neither of you are attuned to its particular magic.  Aside from that, though, I shall instruct you on my construction," the hat peevishly allowed.</p><p>"Is it just me, or does he remind you of Bramble a little," Gellert wondered with considerable amusement.</p><p>Blaise laughed, nodding in agreement. Come to think of it, the hat and Bramble had a lot in common, with the elf also only giving as much as was entirely necessary or that he could legitimately get away with, Blaise thought dryly. Though it wasn't likely his elf would enjoy the comparison. Removing the hat, Blaise held it in both hands, opening himself to its magic, allowing himself to feel as much as he could, to soak it in. It was the way he always began when studying an object. As to be expected there were many layers of spellwork woven into the fabric of this hat. More than four, so each founder had cast far more than one simple enchantment to imprint his or her values and understanding into the hat.</p><p>"Yes, that's right," the hat encouraged, obviously reading his thoughts.</p><p>"Thank you," he told the hat distractedly.</p><p>"I don't think we need anything from the sword at present, so we agree to your terms," he told the hat, then explained to Gellert. </p><p>"It's the sword of Gryffindor, goblins made it and that's all I know or was able to discover from books other than it was highly prized by the goblins and by Godric Gryffindor who commissioned it. So much so that it started a goblin wizarding war or so it is said. It was so long ago, though, I believe much is lost to history, leaving small minds to fill in the blanks,"  he said disdainfully.</p>
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<a name="section0026"><h2>26. In which two dark wizards are very naughty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So how do we proceed, Hat," Blaise asked, hoping this was a suitable way of addressing the sorting hat.</p><p>The opening in the hat's brim took on a thoughtful expression.<br/>
"Well...so that I don't have any regrets in sharing my most valued information, I'd feel better if the both of you continued to prove that you are deserving of it. How about you try to discover my secrets and I'll assist where needed if my mood continues to feel sharing."</p><p>Blaise was mildly annoyed but he supposed the hat handing all of its secrets over too easily, even with good reason, could be dangerous.  For Gellert's part, he gave the hat a ready smile, apparently eager for the challenge.</p><p>Blaise withdrew the smoky quartz wand from the right front pocket of his black pants and flicked it at the hat, murmuring a charm identification spell. It should display all charms placed upon an object in writing above said charmed object. It worked! Sort of.  Green light spilled out from the hat and hung above it in blocks of archaic lettering.  It was from the time of the founders, obviously, and the two wizards could not read a word of it.</p><p>"We're going to have to use a translating charm on that," Blaise said with a sigh.  Gellert leaned forward, gesturing at the spell so that it hung in the air where it would've normally faded away once read. That was some impressive wandless magic, Blaise thought, giving the other wizard a look of admiration. They'd have to get him a wand from Mag soon, though. It would certainly make life more convenient. Lifting his smoky quartz wand again, Blaise flicked it at the old English words and murmured a translation charm.</p><p>"Here is a bit of a fun fact," the hat spoke.<br/>
"I have to agree before this spell can proceed. The founders didn't want any information about me flying, walking or slithering into the wrong hands," it said thoughtfully.<br/>
The two exchanged a glance, waiting.<br/>
"Whatever shall I decide," the hat wondered.</p><p> "The damned thing is playing with us," Gellert said, tone half amused, half annoyed.<br/>
"Has anyone ever threatened to simply burn you to a crisp if you don't play nice," he demanded, eyeing the hat darkly.</p><p>"No one has ever gotten this far," the hat admitted.<br/>
"We really do plan to use whatever knowledge you share to help defend the wizarding world against Voldemort," Blaise told the hat, tone calm yet managing to imply that the hat was being a bit immature and unreasonable about the whole thing.<br/>
It made no reply but Blaise's translation charm finally seemed to take, allowing words to pore across the air in front of them from the hat's brim.</p><p>Aside from the expected layered spells of transfiguration, animation, legilemancy and occlumency, there were also four inclusions from a pensieve.<br/>
"There has to be something else, though," Blaise said with a frown of frustration.<br/>
"This is a unique blend of magic, but we could've figured these layers out for ourselves. There is something else hiding."</p><p>Likely something the hat wouldn't show and as it remained still and silent, they'd have to start guessing. "We'll just have to cast trial and error detection spells," Blaise said and Gellert nodded, leaning forward so that their shoulders touched.</p><p>The contact caused them to exchange a heated look, momentarily distracted.  With a sigh of regret, Blaise turned his attention reluctantly back to the hat.  They were on a time crunch, after all.  Dumbledore would want the hat back soon.</p><p>Blaise cast a charm to detect blood magic and gave a shout of triumph when it caused the hat to flash red in confirmation. "The life blood the founders donated was the final link!"<br/>
"Brilliant thinking, my boy,"Gellert praised, clapping Blaise on the shoulder, then leaving his hand there.</p><p>This had Blaise's mind moving in a direction more concerned with lower matters, and he leaned to kiss Gellert. The hat moved it's torn flap that served as a mouth, forming what looked like an annoyed frown. It hadn't wanted them to have that information, though Blaise didn't see why.<br/>
"We're not going to cut bits from you or anything," he told it, placing it down on the table beside them.<br/>
"Thank you for your help."<br/>
"Indeed," Gellert agreed expansively.<br/>
"Let's celebrate, shall we," Gellert asked, turning to Blaise with a wink, mischief dancing in his lively blue eyes.<br/>
"Alright," Blaise agreed readily. "What did you have in mind?"</p><p>Gellert answered by transfiguring one of the chairs into a thin short mattress which he tossed directly onto the table.<br/>
"Right here," Blaise asked with an incredulous laugh.<br/>
"Why not? It'll be fun," Gellert said.<br/>
The blonde was soon on the staff table on his back, hair flowing around his shoulders. Blaise let out a breath as he approached. Gellert was so beautiful!</p><p>Placing his hands on Gellert's hips, he slid his pants down, bending to trail his lips across the blonde's flat stomach.  Gellert arched upward, pressing himself closer.  As Blaise took him into one hand, he groaned then sat up.<br/>
"Wait," he said, breathlessly.<br/>
"I'm going to conjure the cream from our dorm room and I can't perform any spell with you touching me like that."</p><p>Blaise felt a slow lazy grin spreading over his full lips at the admission.  Gellert Grindelwald could not perform magic with Blaise Zabini stroking his erection.  Now that made him feel even more accomplished than sorting out the sorting hat with Gellert only a few moments before. Giving Gellert's erection a final stroke he stepped back with a smirk.</p><p>"Very well I suppose I could resist skin to skin contact for a few seconds," he drawled.<br/>
"Do you need my wand?"</p><p>But before he'd completed the question, the bottle of cream was in Gellert's outstretched hand.</p><p>"You're bloody good," Blaise said with a smile of admiration.</p><p>It was Gellert's turn to smirk.<br/>
"I'm about to be."</p><p>Nothing in life had ever felt as good as Blaise touching him, moving with him. Not even the power of the Elder wand were he honest. Gellert reveled in the experience, so close to an ecstasy filled release when something happened. The blasted sorting hat was trying to talk to him. Speaking persistently into his mind...Demanding attention. Something about a security breech on the grounds and how no one was ever close enough to hear its warnings and now that it had an audience it would not be ignored!</p><p>Only Gellert was trying very hard to ignore it. Couldn't it just tell him later? The hat insisted that he listen now and that was when Gellert Grindelwald decided that an enchanted object, no matter how strong, wasn't going to ruin this for him. Shutting his mind to the hat with a resounding slam of magic, he grasped Blaise's face in his hands, their mouths meeting in another passionate kiss that had him groaning in pleasure filled need as their bodies strained toward heaven.</p><p>Afterward they lay together catching their breaths and looking a bit dazedly into one another's eyes. Slowly Gellert's thoughts became cohesive once again and he sighed.<br/>
"I suppose the hat thinks there was a security breech," he said.<br/>
"What?"<br/>
"Yes. It tried to interrupt us, but I wasn't interested," Gellert said with a smirk.<br/>
"I suppose we should go and report it to the headmaster now, while we return the hat. This ought to be interesting."</p><p>If the grounds were being attacked, he was always up for a skirmish. He could use the practice. It had been a very long time, after all.<br/>
"I don't want you fighting without a wand," Blaise said firmly.</p><p>The true concern in the other wizard's eyes touched Gellert's heart in an unfamiliar way that had him acquiescing as he wouldn't have previously for anyone else.</p><p>"I've got a few tricks up my sleeve that don't require a wand but if it looks too dangerous we'll just stay out of it together. How is that?"</p><p>Blaise gave a reluctant nod and the two rose from their temporary love nest. With a final smile of amusement, Gellert turned the mattress back into a chair and replaced it before they left the great hall.<br/>
"The professors are going to eat there tonight," Blaise commented with a gleeful chuckle.</p><p>Before Gellert, he never would've done such a thing, but the blonde wizard brought him out of his comfortable shell in a way that he found he quite liked.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. The Return of a Fallen Angel/Regulus Black</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blaise didn't consider calling Bramble to apparate them to the headmaster's office until they were completely out of the great hall.  Amazing sex had addled his brain.  Yet another new experience Gellert had given him...the brain addling.  Only Gellert got to him like this.  The beautiful wizard was practically cloaked in magic and power and a light oddly like the sun in spite of the fact he was obviously as dark minded as Blaise.  With a sigh of regret that their addictive physical contact was over for the moment, Blaise called aloud for Bramble.</p><p> </p><p>The elf appeared in front of them with a crack and an inquisitive look.</p><p> "We need to go to Dumbledore's office and I don't want to take the time to walk or even run there. The sorting hat told Gellert that there is a security breach," Blaise explained and the elf grabbed each of their hands without a word, apparating them to Dumbledore's office.</p><p> </p><p>"Bramble will bring Master and Mistress. They will wish to be aware," the elf said then apparated away. Blaise knocked firmly on the door and for the sake of expedience called out,"Headmaster. It's an emergency."<br/>
The door opened in a matter of seconds and Blaise was surprised to see 2 others in the office past Dumbledore's shoulder.  One was a slightly odd looking house elf with a sharply hooked nose and the other a youth with shoulder length dark hair and a slight build.  He looked about Blaise's own age.  Gellert's age as well now considering the youthening potion, Blaise thought.  He'd never seen the boy before, so he wasn't a Hogwarts student. Blaise felt his curiosity spike in spite of the situation.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert thrust the hat at Dumbledore and said,"According to the hat there appears to be a breach in security."<br/>
Like Blaise he was getting directly to the point.  Albus only appeared mildly concerned.<br/>
"Thank you both.  I've never been warned by the hat before...That is indeed interesting."<br/>
As he spoke, the hand that wasn't holding the hat lifted to push up his half moon spectacles.<br/>
"Though this time it may not be a dangerous breech.  We'll still check it out to be sure, though."</p><p> </p><p>"I'll do it, Headmaster. I'll be back in a few minutes."<br/>
The soft husky voice had come from the strange young man and he was already moving toward the door as he spoke.<br/>
"Kreacher is coming. Kreacher will apparate us outside," the elf said, speaking to the youth, and placing an oddly tender hand on his arm, face turned up to him as he spoke.</p><p> </p><p>The two vanished and Blaise looked to the headmaster.<br/>
"Who was that?"<br/>
Albus opened his mouth to reply, but Sabra Zabini's voice spoke from behind Blaise and Gellert before he could do so.<br/>
"Gods that looked like Regulus Black!"<br/>
"Isn't he dead,"Blaise asked.<br/>
"We feared so," Albus said gravely.<br/>
"Only a few people are aware that he indeed lives, so I must request that you all keep this to yourselves."</p><p> </p><p>"It really is Regulus Black?  You know we're good at keeping secrets," Sabra said. "We have plenty of our own."</p><p> </p><p>"Very good," Albus said, nodding and giving her a friendly smile. "Come in, all of you, and I'll catch you up to speed."<br/>
Once everyone was inside the office with the door firmly shut against prying ears, the headmaster explained how Regulus Black had faked his own death by becoming a vampire.  He'd stayed away to keep his family safe, unaware that Voldemort lived until recently.<br/>
"So you see, he may have inadvertently set off the alarms on the grounds when he came to speak with me," Albus said, gaze moving to Gellert.  "A vampire would be considered a threat by the wards."</p><p> </p><p>"He came here to talk to you because he's going to help against Voldemort,"Sabra asked and Albus nodded.<br/>
"He will take Harry's training over from Severus, so perhaps the boy will actually make some progress. Severus is talented but he and Harry just can't seem to get along in spite of the great necessity that they do so."</p><p> </p><p><br/>
For once, Blaise saw a flash of irritated exasperation on the headmaster's usually calm and tranquil face.<br/>
Blaise couldn't keep a derisive smirk from crossing his own face, and in truth he didn't try that hard to suppress the expression.  Perhaps it was Potter's lack of talent that got in the way most of all, but saying as much wouldn't help the situation so as he often did, Blaise kept his unpopular opinions to himself.  Sensing Gellert's warm gaze on him, he looked at the blonde.  Gellert's eyes met his, alight with amused curiosity.<br/>
"Later,' Blaise mouthed, silently promising an explanation.<br/>
Gellert flashed a grin and winked to show his understanding.<br/>
"So who is Regulus Black," he asked the room at large.</p><p> </p><p>"We went to school together.  He was a good student and a nice enough kid, but like so many dark wizards, he chose to follow Voldemort," Sabra replied.<br/>
"There was some scandal and he vanished.  Many assumed Voldemort tried to kill him for backing out for some reason.  He was so devoted to Voldemort it was always strange to ponder...Something was obviously missing about that story."<br/>
Sabra looked curiously at Albus who nodded.<br/>
"Regulus discovered one of Voldemort's Horcruxes.  He was the first to do so, but this was after he already lost faith.  That happened when Voldemort nearly killed Kreacher.  Regulus and Kreacher are very close.  "The tragedy is that even Kreacher believed him to be dead until recently due to a grievous misunderstanding.  Voldemort has hurt so many people," the headmaster concluded sadly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Wait, you said one of his Horcruxes," Sabra exclaimed.</p><p>A brief glance at his father and Gellert showed that both were equally taken aback as was Blaise.  Making one Horcrux was repugnant, but there were more?</p><p>"I am afraid so," Albus said.<br/>
"I speculate that there may be seven.  I have a theory concerning Voldemort's obsession with this school and its founders, but I am still exploring that."</p><p> </p><p>"If there is anything we can do to help," Gellert said and albus nodded.<br/>
"I will keep you updated, of course."</p><p>Sabra sighed, giving her head of long blonde hair a disgusted shake.</p><p>"So many of his followers wrongly believed him to be like Gellert, I think and, like Regulus, enough of them were eventually disappointed," she said.<br/>
Albus nodded. "Yes and many more who didn't follow him were hurt as well, having their lives turned to dust when families and friends were destroyed by his evil."<br/>
"If we can just end the bastard and get it over with," Geo muttered darkly and as one everyone grimly nodded their silent agreement.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"We've made arrangements to return home tomorrow," Sabra told Albus. "I want to thank you for your kind hospitality."<br/>
"Of course," Albus said.<br/>
"Any time our students or their families are in need of protection the doors to Hogwarts shall always be open."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"We get to go home," Blaise asked, turning eagerly to his parents. "Gellert can come along so we can work on making items, can't he?"</p><p> </p><p>"We've got some of my side of the family coming to visit, just to make it extra safe," Geo answered his son with a relaxed grin.<br/>
"And sure, Gellert is welcome to come along as long as Wolfgang has no objection.  I can't see why he'd mind."</p><p> </p><p>Gellert felt his body stiffen in spite of himself. He hated feeling like a child that the stupid half giant or half troll or whatever he was got to 'allow' to do anything. He was Gellert Grindelwald. He never asked permission! He took what he wanted, did what he wanted, and escaped all attempts to hold him sooner or later.  Only this time the half giant or half troll or whatever he was had freed him.  Though the troll should be the beast on the end of the chain, he held Gellrt's collar instead. The blonde knew it and resented it.  Still he didn't dare resist because if he got locked up in Nurmengard again...he just couldn't get locked up in Nurmengard again.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
A knock came on the headmaster's door, breaking into Gellert's thoughts.</p><p> </p><p><br/>
When Dumbledore opened it, Regulus and his elf stood on the other side.<br/>
"I must have set off the alarms, Headmaster," Regulus said softly, his gaze dropping in embarrassment and discomfort as everyone in the room turned to look at him.<br/>
"We double checked and all is undisturbed."<br/>
"Thank you, Regulus...Kreacher," Albus said politely as he stepped back to allow the two to enter the office.</p><p> </p><p>"Regulus! Welcome to the dead club,"Sabra said stepping forward to offer the youth an amused smile.<br/>
"I'm famous for killing all my husbands, and this one right here has died 7 times for that fun little trick, but it's kept us off of Voldemort's radar. Anyway, vampirism looks good on you. You've not aged a day," she concluded dryly.<br/>
"Sabra, isn't it," Regulus said with a polite smile and she nodded. "And let me guess, your husband is an unregistered metamorphagus?" He arched a slim dark brow, intelligent blue eyes a mix of amused and curious.<br/>
"That's right," Sabra said, nodding approvingly.</p><p> </p><p>"Master Regulus is the most brilliant wizard there is," the hook nosed elf muttered proudly as if to himself.<br/>
"He always figures out the puzzles that make up secrets."<br/>
Regulus glanced down at the elf, open fondness in his eyes as he smiled at him.<br/>
"You are too kind, old friend."</p><p>"Kreacher is never kind," the elf protested, smiling fondly in return, expression plainly belying the words.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"We were in Slytherin together, but he was a few years younger," Sabra explained turning to Gellert who wordlessly nodded.<br/>
"You discovered this Voldemort's horcrux," he asked Regulus, more intrigued by this than the man's faked death for the moment.</p><p> </p><p>Regulus nodded. "I did. I went back to the cave once with my father and we worked an identifying charm on it. There is a charm that will tell if an item is a horcrux," he unnecessarily clarified his words.</p><p>"But why didn't you come back when everyone believed Voldemort to be dead," Sabra asked.</p><p>Regulus stiffened as the elf at his side drew in a breath, his face crumbling into a look of abject misery.  Gellert found himself looking away in discomfort. Blaise shifted at his side and their eyes met, both silently agreeing that indeed the moment was an uncomfortable one.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"I knew little of vampires when I chose to become one in an attempt to save myself from Voldemort's vengeance.  I became very ill from the lake of inferi or rather its water.  It was weeks until I could even sit up and hold a quill in order to write Kreacher from where my maker had taken me into hiding.  I wrote him several times and never heard back so I wrongly assumed he wanted nothing to do with me.  And how could I blame him?  I nearly got him killed by choosing to follow a twisted mad man, after all." Regulus said carefully, obviously trying to restrain his own emotions on the matter for the elf at his side.</p><p> </p><p>"Kreacher would never," the elf spoke, low gravely voice breaking.</p><p>Uncomfortable!<br/>
"Perhaps we should go and work on some enchanted items to win ourselves some points," Gellert murmured to Blaise who hastily nodded.<br/>
"As it turns out, Kreacher never received any of the letters," Regulus said as Blaise opened the door to the headmaster's office.<br/>
"Oh Gellert I have something for you,"Sabra said as the two turned to go.<br/>
"It's a crystal quartz wand from Mag.  She said she can make you a more personalized one later but she wanted you to have something for the moment. These are twice as strong as wooden wands as quartz amplifies.  Mag has made these for everyone working against Voldemort in our group," she said, reaching into a black sequined shoulder bag with a webbed pattern on the front.<br/>
She drew out a natural crystal wand banded in gleaming red copper.</p><p> </p><p>"She chose this for you and said the copper is healing and amplifying so works well with the crystal and your own abilities," she said, her mildly vague tone obviously implying she had memorized rather than completely comprehended the meaning of the message.<br/>
Gellert's eyes widened slightly in interest as he took the wand into his hands.  It was around 9 inches long and seemed to hum with power.  It felt really good to have a wand again and the fact he'd never worked with a crystal of any sort before made it all the more intriguing for him.  This was a time of so many changes, not all comfortable but those that were made everything worth while.</p><p> </p><p>"Thank you...I will thank her personally when I see her again, please pass on the sentiment if you see her first."<br/>
"Sure,"Sabra said with a nod.<br/>
"It was nice to meet both of you," Blaise said politely, nodding to Regulus and Kreacher.<br/>
Regulus smiled and nodded back.<br/>
"You as well.  Seeing those I went to school with having grown children of their own is disconcerting, though, I must admit."</p><p> </p><p>"Only one child if that makes you feel any better," Albus said with a chuckle.<br/>
"This particular young man happens to be Gellert Grindelwald."</p><p> </p><p>Regulus gaped.</p><p>"The...Grindelwald?"</p><p>He looked at Sabra, then to Gellert, obviously taking in their shared blonde hair and blue eyes.  Blaise understood how he could assume they were related, though upon closer inspection Sabra's hair was a little darker and her eyes a little lighter.  Gellert's tresses were curly while Sabra's were straight.</p><p> </p><p>"It's a bit of a secret, but the three of you are all such accomplished wizards, I have a feeling you may be working together eventually, and today seems to be one for sharing secrets and knowledge," Albus said.</p><p> </p><p>"But how," Regulus asked.<br/>
"You look so young!"</p><p> </p><p>"A draft of life potion," Gellert replied with a slight smile.<br/>
"Someone kindly bought it for me, and as you can see it has worked quite well."</p><p>"Indeed," Regulus said, impressed.<br/>
"I do hope to speak with you again.  Your accomplishments are quite fascinating."</p><p> </p><p>"Likewise," Gellert said.<br/>
He and Blaise left Dumbledore's office then and headed directly to the Slytherin boy's dorms. Gellert couldn't keep his body from heating as his mind returned to what had happened there last night.  He was most definitely ready to relive the experience.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Those wands are brilliant," Blaise was saying.<br/>
"I really love mine. And you see how well it cleans us up after sex. Most definitely twice as strong as a wooden wand."<br/>
Gellert chuckled and nodded, recalling how smoothly Blaise's scourgifying spells had been done.  Blaise's wand was shorter and unlike Gellert's it was round and unfaceted. Rather than being clear it was also nearly black. Smoky quartz.</p><p> </p><p>As if reading his mind, Blaise drew out his wand and chuckled.<br/>
"It's way shorter than yours, but it's the shit. I love it, and I've got enough in my pants not to feel insecure to have a short wand."</p><p> </p><p>Gellert laughed, eyes warming on the other man.<br/>
"Indeed you do."<br/>
Once they were back in their dorm room with the door closed, Blaise flopped onto the bed they'd shared the previous night.  He drew a notebook and quill toward him with a flick of his wand from where they lay on the desk.<br/>
"Just making a few notes on the sorting hat," he said.</p><p>"Sounds good," Gellert agreed, but noticed his mind wandering from work to the inviting way Blaise looked stretched out on the bed, all long lanky elegance.<br/>
Somehow even after only a day, his reaction to Blaise felt surprisingly natural and easy. Wandering over he settled beside Blaise on the mattress.<br/>
"So why are your relatives coming to stay with you," Gellert asked, lightly taking the notebook and quill from Blaise's hands and placing them on the bedside table.</p><p> </p><p>"Because they're from the Italian Cabal. Rather like a wizarding mob, but I'm sure you're aware of that," Blaise said, hoping he wasn't babbling because Gellert had just begun kissing his neck and...Blaise's mind was finding it difficult to function.<br/>
Gellert's slender body covered Blaise's own and it felt more than amazing.<br/>
"Gods, Gellert," he managed, hands tangling in the other man's blonde locks before running over his back and shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>"Familial connections to the magical Mafia," Gellert murmured against his neck. "Nice."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. I feel the magic when we do what we do</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Several hours later, Blaise lay on his back, his left hand outflung, his fingertips trailing along the ends of Gellert's hair as it fanned across the mattress.  They lay naked and spent on the bed, drifting close to sleep.  Gellert's head was nestled near Blaise's ribs his body curled in repose.  Doing as many things to one another in as many ways as they could manage was deliciously exhausting.  The afternoon had consisted of a full repeat of last night minus the cuddling and talking about magic.  Blaise gave a contented sigh at the memory.  The cuddling had been oddly nice last night and he looked forward to repeating it again tonight.  He never cuddled, or he hadn't done before Gellert.</p><p>"Want to go take a bath in the prefect bathroom," Blaise murmured.<br/>
"The tub is brilliant.  You'll love it."</p><p>"Yes I remember.  That's where you shagged a chick as you so eloquently put it last night," Gellert said, words coming out surprisingly dry and tart.<br/>
Blaise rose up on one elbow to regard the other man, taken aback a bit by Gellert's reaction.<br/>
"Yeah.  You shagged chicks too.  A great deal more than I ever have I might add."<br/>
"A very long time ago," Gellert said.<br/>
Blaise shrugged.  "So. None of them meant anything did they?"<br/>
Gellert shook his head without rising from the mattress.</p><p>"Hell if you know I wouldn't even cuddle, you should know they didn't mean anything to me either. You cuddled your women, even had them more than once.  You told me that last night.  So why do you care if I shagged a Ravenclaw chick in the bath?  Besides the one I'm taking you to is the Slytherin bath and I've never shagged in it...until now.  I was hoping to do that now."</p><p>Gellert gave a low laugh and tugged Blaise down to him for a kiss.  The feel of their naked chests touching made Blaise's entire body practically thrum with longing.  Damn he was ready to go again.</p><p>"I'm feeling very dirty.  Lets have that bath right now."</p><p>He drew Gellert up from the bed and dug two bathrobes out from where Bramble had neatly packed them in one of the trunks because the fastidious elf thought of everything, bless him.  Blaise handed Gellert one of the robes before slipping into the other.</p><p>"I like it that you're jealous," he told Gellert, drawing him close for one more kiss before they went to take that bath like good little prefects.<br/>
"Good," Gellert replied, and his kiss was hard enough to leave Blaise breathless.<br/>
If Blaise had enjoyed the jets and bubbles of the prefect bath with the Ravenclaw, it was out of this world with Gellert.  They ended up spending an hour in the bath. An amazing hour.  Hot bubbling jets combined with the things their own hands and mouths could do to one another was beyond brilliant.</p><p>Hunger forced them down to dinner though both wouldn't have minded going to sleep instead were food not such a pressing need.  Blaise hoped no one would ask how much work they'd gotten accomplished.  There were a surprising amount of people gathered at the staff table for dinner.  Dumbledore sat beside a hot brunette in extremely low cut dress robes who looked positively young enough to be his granddaughter.  Perhaps she was. Blaise had never given any thought to the headmaster's family or the family of any of the professors for that matter.</p><p>Blaise's parents were seated with Bramble, and Snape sat beside Mag talking quietly. Millicent and Wolfgang were present as well. They were talking with Regulus and Kreacher. Idly Blaise wondered why a vampire would come to dinner, but then Regulus began firmly encouraging a protesting Kreacher to eat more which answered his question. He wondered if Regulus would work with Wolfgang and their lot against Voldemort.  As they were deep in conversation, it appeared likely. That was good. The more the better.</p><p>As they took their seats, Gellert thanked Mag for the wand and she gave him an almost shy smile as she nodded.<br/>
"I like to make a wand for each wizard personally, but I figured a generally good wand was better than no wand at all until I get to know you better and can design something more specifically tailored to your personality and specifications."<br/>
"I look forward to it," Gellert told her with a warm smile.<br/>
"Wizards from even ancient times used gemstones and crystals for their magical properties, but you're the only one to utilize them as wands, at least in our time. It's a very good idea."<br/>
"They're far superior to wooden wands," Mag said, looking gratified by Gellert's understanding of the magical potential of gemstones.</p><p>"I'm still waiting for her to find me a wand made of solid moonstone!"<br/>
The cheerful voice came from the Charms professor, Filius Flitwick.  He'd come up to the table without Blaise noticing, perhaps because of how tiny he was.</p><p>Mag laughed.<br/>
"No.  It's not just a solid moonstone wand he's after, he wants a particularly rare cut of moonstone which is very difficult to come by."</p><p>Filius frowned.<br/>
"I simply can't use one that has facets," he complained.</p><p>"Ah well, one day you will find me the perfect one," he told Mag, patting her shoulder before he smiled at Gellert.</p><p> "I am pleased to at last make your acquaintance, Mr. Grindelwald.  I am Filius Flitwick, charms professor and dueling champion.  Miss Boxwood suggested that you and I could perhaps work together on giving some private lessons to those who are interested, and I'd be honored!"</p><p> "Well...I've never taught before, but I suppose...I could, Gellert said a bit hesitantly.</p><p>"The more lessons on defense the better," Millicent chimed in.<br/>
Blaise didn't hate the idea and was eager to see what he could learn from Gellert.</p><p>Dumbledore cleared his throat then.<br/>
"As everyone seems to be present," he began, "I'd like you all to meet Miss Bera Karkaroff."<br/>
He nodded to the young woman at his side.  "Her father was Headmaster of Durmstrang before he was killed by Voldemort.  She is Headmistress now in his stead.  Miss Karkaroff has come to speak with me about an alliance between our two schools which I think is a fine idea."</p><p>Blaise noticed Gellert's brief and nearly startled stare at the Karkaroff woman.  Did he know her?  How could he when he'd just gotten out of prison?  Even her father was too young for him to have known considering he'd been in Nurmengard for fifty years.<br/>
"I am glad to meet all of you," Miss Karkaroff pronounced in heavily accented English.<br/>
Though she addressed the table at large, her eyes mostly remained on Dumbledore's face and her hand lay lightly on his arm.  Was she flirting with Dumbledore, Blaise wondered.  No. He was far too old.  Gellert wasn't much younger than the Hogwarts headmaster, but he'd gotten a youthening potion and Dumbledore most certainly had not.</p><p>"Will Hogwarts students be able to take classes at Durmstrang if the schools are allied," Blaise asked, a bit more willing to return to Hogwarts for his final year were that to be the case.<br/>
His hopes were dashed when the headmaster shook his head of bushy white hair in negation.<br/>
"Not at this point, I am afraid.  There is far too much going on to arrange what would likely be a complicated matter with it involving two boards of education.  The alliance is merely to combine defensive measures in order to keep both schools safer."<br/>
"Well the idea certainly makes me feel better," Sabra Zabini spoke up.</p><p>His mother's words brought to mind the incident with the dementors the previous day and Blaise recalled a thought that had come to him while floating in that haze of satisfaction on the bed just before he and Gellert went into the Prefect bath.</p><p>"I was thinking about the Dementor incident of yesterday, and I wonder if the one that spoke to me knew my name because it was able to take it out of my mind.  We know so little of dementors and their abilities. If they can take a person's soul, though, it only stands to reason that they can read minds as well if they wish to.  Obviously it didn't kiss me, but it was touching my arm.  If my speculation is correct, and they can read thoughts, that contact would be enough to allow it a connection to my mind. It was brief, though, so I doubt it got much," he concluded hastily before his mother could begin to freak out about all the relevant information Dementors could now have on them all.</p><p>"That is a brilliant thought, my boy," Gellert said, turning to Blaise, eyes alight with pleased approval at his deduction.<br/>
At the praise, Blaise felt his heart fluttering like a little girl or a moth who thought it was a little girl.  It felt so good, though, he didn't mind overly much.</p><p>Millicent rolled her eyes and said something under her breath to Wolfgang who nodded and gave a sardonic smile before looking at Blaise with a more serious expression.<br/>
"I agree, the thought is a good one and hopefully true," the half giant said.  Steady blue gaze moving to Gellert, Wolfgang added, "Sabra and Geo wrote to me about allowing you to remain in their care.  I have no problem with that as long as you remember that your loyalty lies with our cause and getting rid of Voldemort."</p><p>Though Wolfgang's words were mild enough if firm, Gellert's gaze dropped as though he had been strongly reprimanded by someone dangerous.  He nodded quickly.</p><p>"Yes, of course," he said quietly. "Thank you."</p><p>Blaise liked Wolfgang, but seeing Gellert somehow so easily cowed when the half giant wasn't even really trying didn't sit well with him.  He hated the nearly broken way Gellert sometimes seemed when dealing with anyone other than Blaise himself.  Gellert was beautiful and proud and Blaise hated anything to take that out of him.  He was too quick to placate, too eager to be friendly.  It wasn't fake.  Gellert wasn't lying to anyone, but the way he behaved, as though pleasing others was more important than expressing his own thoughts wasn't good.  Blaise supposed that Gellert needed time to regain his strength and confidence after Nurmengard and to feel safe.  He only hoped he could help him to do so.</p><p>As the others returned to their previous conversations, and Flitwick began talking with Mag and Severus, Blaise recalled that he had a question to ask Gellert.   Leaning close he murmured near the blonde's ear.<br/>
"Why did you look at Miss Karkaroff like that?"</p><p>Gellert looked mildly startled then chuckled.<br/>
"Ah that!  She is the one I saw Albus Dumbledore in a romantic encounter with.  The one I mentioned earlier from my fleeting vision."</p><p>Blaise's eyes widened and he couldn't help giving an incredulous laugh.  He did recall Gellert's words to his parents earlier, but he also recalled the conspiratorial look Gellert had given him before speaking those words.<br/>
"I thought you weren't serious, and I meant to ask you about it later, only we got distracted."</p><p>Gellert leaned closer so as not to be overheard.<br/>
"Yes, but it was still true.  I actually showed him an image of what you and I were doing when he ran, but I did actually see him with that very lady on his lap kissing him quite passionately."</p><p>"No way," Blaise said more loudly than he'd intended, laughing again.  The idea that Dumbledore knew they were having incredible shag sessions was too rich.  And Dumbledore himself with a woman that much younger...well it was likewise rich, just in an entirely different way.  Dumbledore?  With a hot young woman?</p><p>"But why?"</p><p>Noticing others were glancing their way he hastily took a forkfull of the salmon on his plate.<br/>
"I mean what an odd way for such a spell to work," he added, not wishing to give any indication of what they were truly talking about.</p><p>"Well...I suppose sometimes spells can work in strange ways,"Gellert replied with a grin that obviously held back laughter with an effort.  When Blaise laughed again, though, Gellert joined him until both were doubled over and gasping for air, giving Ms. Karkaroff and Dumbledore sidelong glances.  Blaise rarely chuckled, and never had he outright laughed like this.  He supposed he was difficult to amuse, and he found that he liked the effect Gellert had on him.  It was fun.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. It's Magic You Know</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So tell me about your home," Gellert said once he and Blaise finally managed to stop laughing.<br/>
"It will be nice to know what to expect when we go there tomorrow."</p><p>"I think it's nice," Blaise answered thoughtfully.<br/>
"It has two stories plus an attic and a heated swimming pool in the basement.  Mother has a conservatory where she grows all her prized poisonous plants, and of course we have a decent library.  Aside from my bedroom, my parents bedroom and Bramble's bedroom, we have four guest rooms, so we'll be able to comfortably accommodate family when they arrive.</p><p>Blaise's description of his home sounded as pleasant as Gellert expected it to and it suited his idea of the sort of home in which Blaise would live.  It was also up to Gellert's own standards, but that was no surprise as the Zabinis obviously lived well.  The only thing that surprised him was the concept of a swimming pool inside of a manor.</p><p>"Is this inside swimming pool a new concept for a home," he wondered, and Blaise smiled, shaking his head.</p><p>"No."<br/>
Blaise thought again how much must have changed while Gellert was held in Nurmengard.<br/>
"I wanted the pool so I could work out and keep in shape all year round, and it is expensive but not unheard of for those with wealth.  Mum and Dad were kind enough to humor me when I wanted one."</p><p>He gave Gellert a lazy grin as he pictured the two of them swimming together.<br/>
"It's always warm and I think you'll like it a lot.  I've missed having my daily swim."</p><p>"Oh, Gellert...Blaise, here are the pendants you wanted for those enchantments," Mag said.</p><p>As she spoke, she slid a small green cloth bag down the table toward them.  It made a slight chinking sound as it stopped just above Blaise's plate.<br/>
"Bramble already paid me," she added.<br/>
"There are twenty pendants in there.  I didn't know how many you needed and figured a few extras wouldn't hurt anyway.  If someone else comes along who needs one or if you make a mistake that you can't undo on one of them it won't be a problem."</p><p>Blaise nodded and scooped up the bag.<br/>
"Thanks. That's great."<br/>
He opened the bag to see a variety of silver pendants, ranging from twenty to twenty-five millimeters in size.  Some were shaped like mundane objects such as little goblets or cauldrons while others were shaped like animals and magical creatures.</p><p>"I figured it may attract less notice if they all looked different," Mag explained, and he nodded.<br/>
"Good thinking."<br/>
After letting Gellert have a look he pocketed the bag of pendants and returned to his meal.  When he and Gellert eventually stood to retire to the Slytherin boy's dorm, Professor Flitwick also rose and approached them.</p><p>"Tomorrow morning before the two of you leave, I will make sure you have a portkey into Hogwarts for the defense lessons.  We don't want to risk either of you being seen walking across the grounds too frequently just in case.  I doubt anyone would ever consider such a youthful young man as yourself to be the actual Gellert Grindelwald, but one can never be too safe," he concluded with a small amused smile at Gellert.<br/>
"That's a good idea.  Thank you," Gellert smiled back at the small man.  He and Blaise left the Great Hall then and wasted no time in returning to their dorm room.</p><p>Perhaps because they were too full to shag, or perhaps to avoid people beginning to complain about a perceived lack of productivity on their part even though they'd made great achievements with the sorting hat, Blaise and Gellert decided to get to work on making the amulets that unraveled magic around their wearer.<br/>
"As this sort of little treasure helped to get me out of Nurmengard, I must confess to having a particular fondness for the concept," Gellert said with a smile as he dumped the bag of silver pendants out on the bed between them.</p><p>Still quite pleased that it was his idea that helped to free Gellert, Blaise gave the blonde one of his slow lazy grins.<br/>
"Which of these will you want for your own.  We may as well make ourselves one first," he said.</p><p>Gellert began thoughtfully sifting through the pile.  At last he chose a dark silver charm of a flying seagull.</p><p>"I like this one."</p><p>"Suits you," Blaise said with a nod.<br/>
He'd already chosen a small silver web for his pendant.  He supposed Mag assumed he would like it for himself or one of his family members.  Retrieving the notebook in which he'd jotted down notes on the sorting hat earlier, he quickly wrote out a list of the charms he'd used to make the pendant Bramble had worn to free Gellert.  He then jotted down notes on how he combined them.<br/>
"Here you are," he said, passing it over to Gellert.<br/>
"Here's exactly how I made the pendant Bramble has.  It took me a few hours, so if everyone thinks they'll all have one by tomorrow, it's unfortunate."</p><p>Gellert laughed.<br/>
Blaise never expected to be sharing his trade secrets with anyone, but he'd likewise never expected to have the opportunity to share them with Gellert Grindelwald.  Of course Gellert would be sharing some of his own as well, and Blaise found himself very much looking forward to that.  First they'd have to get all these pendants done, though, before they could go on to anything else on their project list.  After they each completed their own magic unraveling pendant, Blaise had an idea.</p><p>"Lets see if we can work faster if we do it together on the same pendant.   If it doesn't work, it's no harm done, and if it does, we will finish faster and be able to move on to something else.  I love making things, but creating ten of the same thing over and over will get tedious fast."</p><p>Gellert nodded eagerly.<br/>
"For sure!"<br/>
As it turned out, the two of them working together on one pendant made things at least four times faster.  They finished one pendant every forty-five minutes and had three more made before finally turning in for the night.  Though enchantments could be exhausting, the two had plenty of energy for one another as it turned out.  As soon as the lights were off and their clothes shed, Blaise felt his hunger for Gellert consuming him in the most delicious of ways.  He ached for full body skin to skin contact and to taste Gellert's mouth on his own.</p><p>""Need you," he said between heated kisses and Gellert groaned his agreement as he pressed their bodies closer.  The night was fittingly long and morning came far too soon for two young wizards who hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep.  Their unwanted alarm clock came in the form of banging on the dormroom door.<br/>
"What? No," Blaise groaned, and the knock came again.<br/>
"Good Morning!  Your Mum sent me up to wake you.  She wants you two to come down to breakfast so we can all talk about the defense lessons."</p><p>The voice on the other side of the door belonged to Kereston Boxwood.  She was a good egg, but talked far too much for first thing in the morning.</p><p>"Those defense lessons were my idea, you know.  I suggested Gellert, Wolfgang and Flitwick combine some tactics because you never know what we may need to be kept safe from these days."</p><p>"Right now you need to be kept safe from me," Blaise grumbled.<br/>
"Now go away.  We'll be down eventually."</p><p>"Your Mum wants you down now, and I'm not brave enough to face her without you," Kereston said, unpreturbed.</p><p>Blaise sighed and rolled out of bed.<br/>
"Fine.  We're coming."</p><p>"I'll wait," Kereston said.<br/>
Her obviously suspicious tone said clearly that she did not trust them to come down in a timely manner unless she did.<br/>
Laughing, Gellert threw a pillow at the door.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Naughty Boys Need Love Too</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Feeling the insistent presence of Kereston waiting outside, Blaise and Gellert wasted no time in getting themselves dressed for the day.  Gellert put on some of his new clothes, enjoying the fact they at least fit properly, though the new style was something different to which he must grow accustomed.  He figured he shouldn't complain too much, as most of the new experiences he'd had in the past two days were definitely good ones.  A sidelong look at Blaise tugging on a dark green silk shirt had him smiling to himself about new experiences.  They stood side by side at the mirror while combing their hair, and their reflections together in the glass made him smile again.  They looked quite good together.</p><p>It occurred to Gellert then that he'd never looked at himself as a couple with any of his women.  He never considered how they looked together and never cared.  He was the shining star and that was that but now he found himself pleased to have someone with whom to share the spotlight.</p><p>Blaise bent to tuck the comb in his hand back into one of the trunks, then straightened, eyes scanning over the fine figure Gellert cut in his new clothes.  The soft gray slacks and black button down shirt fit him well and had Blaise's thoughts headed south.<br/>
"You look good," he said, placing his hands on Gellert's narrow hips and kissing him lightly.</p><p>"Not bad for my second day out of captivity," Gellert replied, smiling against Blaise's mouth as he slipped his arms around the other man's neck to deepen the pleasing physical contact.  After a final lingering kiss they drew apart with similar sighs of regret.  Blaise opened the door and scowled at Kereston, who ignoring the expression gave them both a bright smile.<br/>
"Sorry to be a bother, but I'm just the messenger," the small blonde said, unabashed.<br/>
"I suppose that's true," Gellert agreed reluctantly as the three headed up toward the Great Hall.</p><p>"So do tell.  What have the two of you been up to other than one another," Kereston asked, a small amused smile  playing around her mouth as she gave them a side long look of curiosity.<br/>
"Well, let's see," Gellert said thoughtfully.<br/>
"We studied the sorting hat and talked it into sharing all of its secrets with us."</p><p>"Now that's impressive," Kereston said.</p><p>"Gellert was sorted into Slytherin," Blaise announced, with his usual slow lazy grin.</p><p>"We were warned by the hat of a breech of Hogwarts security, but I tuned it out as we happened to be busy at the time," Gellert added.<br/>
This time it was his turn to have a small smile playing over his lips.</p><p>"We were shagging," Blaise clarified happily.<br/>
"On the staff table!"</p><p>"NO," Kereston squealed, stopping in her tracks.<br/>
"That's...BLOODY AWESOME!"<br/>
She threw back her head of long blonde curls and laughed.<br/>
"I'm so bloody jealous," she admitted, still laughing happily.</p><p>"It was one of my more brilliant ideas rather," Gellert said with feigned modesty.</p><p>"It turned out the security breech was none other than Regulus Black, alive if vampiric," Blaise added.<br/>
"But I'm sure it's a secret so don't tell too many people.  He was talking to Millie and Wolfgang last night at dinner, so he'll probably be working with us."</p><p>"Who's Regulus Black," Kereston asked.<br/>
"He's related to Bellatrix I suppose?"</p><p>Blaise nodded.<br/>
"I think a cousin or something.  He was happily following Voldemort until said dark lord nearly killed his elf friend and they discovered he, Voldemort, not the elf, had a Horcrux."</p><p>Kereston's mouth dropped and her eyes rounded in an expression of horrified dismay.<br/>
"Can the man get anymore monstrous?"</p><p>"I think so.  Your headmaster believes there may be around seven Horcruxes," Gellert replied, quirking his brows at Kereston.</p><p>"You're kidding," she groaned.<br/>
"Who does that?"</p><p>"What does that is more likely," Blaise suggested dryly.<br/>
"I doubt he's even human now if he ever was."</p><p>Gellert's amusing expression had faded to a thoughtful frown as they spoke.<br/>
"He could certainly be more unstable as well as more difficult to predict," he said gravely.<br/>
Then he flashed a careless grin as he tossed back his long blonde hair.<br/>
"It's a good thing we're up for the challenge."</p><p>"We are," Blaise asked, and Gellert's smile widened.<br/>
"Of course we are!"</p><p>Pausing outside the great hall, Gellert reached into one of the front pockets of his new gray slacks.<br/>
"Last night we began work on the magical dispersing amulets.  We made ourselves one, then got three others done before retiring for the evening.  Here is one for you."</p><p>He withdrew a silver pendant and passed it over to an eager Kereston.</p><p>"Oh thank you!"<br/>
She looked at it before slipping it on the chain she already had around her neck which held a crystal wand pendant from Mag.<br/>
"It's a pentacle.  Nice and magical."</p><p>"Yes I thought you may like that one.  Mag brought us all manner of various shapes and symbols," Gellert said and Kereston thanked them again as they headed into breakfast.</p><p>Before they sat down, Gellert presented Mag with a pendant in the shape of a small feather.  As she was helping to get their supplies, it was fitting she got one of the first completed products.   Blaise was a little surprised when Gellert gave the final pendant they'd finished to Flitwick.  It was in the shape of a little broom.<br/>
"Why thank you," Filius said, obviously surprised as well and pleased.</p><p>The little professor sat studying the pendant, the plate of breakfast on the table before him momentarily forgotten.<br/>
"Some very advanced work went into this," he complimented.<br/>
"Which of you made it?"</p><p>"Both of us, actually," Blaise said."I came up with the arrangement and application, but I'd only made one previously.  Gellert and I worked on these together last night after I showed him what I'd done."</p><p>"Now that's something," Filius complimented sincerely.</p><p>"It isn't easy for two people to lay enchantments on a single object together.  It takes a great amount of skill and precision. When styles differ the magic doesn't always mesh, and the two of you mesh very well.  Your styles are difficult to tell apart."</p><p>Blaise thought that just may have been the biggest compliment he'd ever gotten aside from those from Gellert himself.  Professor Flitwick had just compared his style of magic to that of Gellert Grindelwald!  For some reason, Gellert was looking just as pleased as Blaise felt, and that made the compliment somehow even better.</p><p>"Thank you," Gellert told Filius.<br/>
"I have personally never worked with anyone else when making enchanted items so seeing how natural the process went with Blaise was satisfying."</p><p>"I never have either," Blaise said.<br/>
He and Gellert spent a few seconds simply smiling into one another's eyes before the abrasive voice of Millicent Bulstrode broke annoyingly into the moment they were attempting to have.</p><p>"Hey Prats!  Where's my amulet thing?"</p><p>"You will get it today if Blaise and I are allowed a spare hour or two to work on them," Gellert said, voice obviously straining to hold a polite tone.</p><p>"That's good, considering Wolfgang and I were a big part of getting you out of Nurmengard," Millicent replied.<br/>
"We want ours today."</p><p>"Well we're supposed to work on defense stuff today too," Kereston pointed out, turning to Millicent.</p><p>"Fine," Millicent grumped.<br/>
"We can work on defense first, then they can make our amulets.  I want some protection stat."</p><p>"I can see why," Gellert muttered through gritted teeth, and Blaise laughed.</p><p>"We won't go home until evening, so you'll have plenty of time to get whatever you need done before that," Sabra soothed, smiling over at Blaise and Gellert.</p><p>Gellert felt himself relaxing and his annoyance with the Millicent troll fading as he smiled back at Blaise's mother.</p><p>"We can use the room of requirement for our defense practice," Filius said and as they ate, Blaise explained to Gellert just what a room of requirement was.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. The Coverup</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> Albus Dumbledore entered the Great Hall mid-breakfast, walking beside Professor Snape.  The two were in conversation and neither looked particularly happy.</p><p>"Good morning," Sabra Zabini greeted, her smile more business like than cheerful.</p><p>"Headmaster...There was a matter we intended to bring up with you last night at dinner, but with Miss Karkaroff here, we got distracted and forgot."</p><p>Blaise supposed that was one reason he'd personally forgotten, but Gellert's proximity was probably the main cause.  Not generally one to be distracted, he wondered if he'd ever grow accustomed to the effect Gellert had on him.</p><p>"Very well, Mrs. Zabini," Albus said pleasantly as he took his seat at the head of the table.<br/>
"What is it?"</p><p>"We were hoping you could shed light on the exact manner of Gellert's capture.  He says the fabled duel between the two of you never happened."</p><p>Albus nodded without changing expression.<br/>
"Of course not."</p><p>"So why does everyone believe it did and how was he truly taken down?"</p><p> </p><p>At last Albus's face showed surprise as he looked to Gellert.</p><p>"Don't you know?"</p><p>Slowly Gellert shook his head.<br/>
"I have no true memory.  My people and I were infiltrating a capitol building in France and...I seem to recall the sensation of being struck by some sort of magic that knocked me unconscious. There is nothing more before I woke in a literal prison of my own making."</p><p>Dumbledore nodded.<br/>
"I see.<br/>
"Whatever they did, it was very hush hush.  When I was approached by the British Minister for Magic on the matter he gave me very little information of true substance, I am afraid.  He asked that I confirm the manufactured report of defeating you in a duel in order to bring you to justice." When I asked why you would agree to participate in such a duel, he said that the confrontation would look forced.  I presume by myself in an attempt to protect the masses."</p><p>He drew in a deep breath and let it out, expression momentarily tired and drawn as a sadness flickered briefly in his usually twinkling blue eyes.</p><p>"In all honesty, after what befell my younger sister, I had always planned to stay out of whatever you were trying to achieve. For this reason, I never even considered interfering in your pursuits."</p><p>"So why did you agree to their story," Blaise asked.<br/>
"Not that it matters, I suppose as I assume they'd already gotten Gellert by then."</p><p>Dumbledore nodded.<br/>
"Precisely.  It didn't matter and they were putting pressure on me to acquiesce to their demands."</p><p>"What did they offer you to play along," Sabra asked.</p><p>Dumbledore shrugged.<br/>
"No pirate ship of riches, that's for sure," he said, the playful twinkle returning to his eyes.<br/>
"They did promise to stay out of my running of Hogwarts, though and that actually lasted several decades longer than I expected."</p><p>"Crooked hypocritical governments are of no surprise to me at all," Gellert said with a look of disgust as he relieved his plate of its last fork full of scrambled eggs.</p><p>"On that, Mr. Grindelwald, we can agree," Dumbledore replied.</p><p>"Well look on the bright side," Millicent told Gellert.<br/>
"Now you have an amulet to unravel magic before it touches you, so they won't be getting you like that again."</p><p>"No," Gellert replied, looking pensive.<br/>
"Not like that."</p><p>There were other ways, though, and he planned to remain free from captivity at all cost.  He would take measures and even remain in good stead with the lady troll and her man, no matter how annoying they were.</p><p>"I suppose we'll need to take those off for our upcoming defense practice," Kereston observed and Blaise and Gellert nodded.</p><p>"When everyone has finished eating, we can go to the Room of Requirement and get started," Filius said.</p><p>"I'll hold everyone's pendants while you're practicing and return them to you as soon as you've finished," Sabra offered.<br/>
"I'll keep them safe."</p><p>"Unless she puts poison into them to kill you all instead," Blaise's dad quipped with a grin.</p><p>"Do you think your brother knows how they got me," Gellert asked Albus suddenly.</p><p>"I don't know," Albus replied.<br/>
"If he did, he wouldn't tell me.  He and I don't speak."</p><p>Blaise wondered why but as it was none of his business and had nothing to do with Gellert, he didn't feel comfortable asking.</p><p>"I understand," Gellert told Albus.<br/>
"Were I unfortunate enough to have such a goat for a brother, I would not speak to him either."</p><p>Albus chuckled.<br/>
"Goat indeed."</p><p>To Blaise's horror he felt a stab of jealousy over Dumbledore and Gellert sharing even a mutual dislike of someone on which they could find common ground.  He knew it was because of that stupid book of Rita Skeeter's, the Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore and its story of Gellert and Albus being involved.  He knew it was entirely stupid.  Still the two sharing a laugh over Aberforth Dumbledore being a goat got to him.  Dumbledore wasn't gay and Gellert obviously only had eyes for Blaise.  To make matters worse Blaise entirely understood all of that yet his jealousy didn't care in the least.  The complete irrationality of that was extremely unsettling and disconcerting and yes a bit frightening.</p><p>He was relieved when Kereston spoke again as it gave him something else to focus on rather than his own annoying thoughts.<br/>
"So what are we going to start with when we get to the Room of Requirement," she asked eagerly.</p><p>"If everyone is up for a bit of a challenge, I could attempt teaching a protective shield," Gellert said.<br/>
"I suggest it for its constant usefulness.  It can and should be applied not only when dueling or under attack, but in general daily life.  It has saved my life more than once."</p><p>"That's awesome," Kereston said and even Millie looked excited.</p><p>"I must say, Wolfgang and I are both quite advanced at the various forms of combative magic, but to learn from Grindelwald himself is truly an experience," Flitwick said happily.<br/>
"I just hope there will be something of use I can add to the lessons."</p><p>Gellert gave a slight smile.</p><p>"Be certain of it, for I am not a particularly good teacher, so I will need a great deal of help in that department."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Protego Diabolica</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When they were all in the Room of Requirement, everyone who had one, handed their magic unraveling amulets over to Sabra Zabini.</p><p> "Kereston got one too, and we didn't," Millicent nearly shouted, her indignant glare moving from Gellert to Blaise.<br/>
"You Gits!"</p><p>"It was her idea that we make them for everyone, so it only seemed fitting that she get one of the first available pieces," Gellert replied calmly.<br/>
His blue gaze held an amused flicker of satisfaction at Millicent's reaction, though, Blaise noticed.  He wondered about it, but now wasn't the time to begin a conversation so he'd ask later when the two were alone.</p><p>The room must not have thought they required much for their practice because it was nearly empty save for a few plain wooden chairs lined up against the wall nearest the door.  It had made itself nearly as large as the Great Hall, and looked plain with a marble floor and white walls.  Everyone who was in the Great Hall at breakfast had chosen to come along to the Room of Requirement except Albus Dumbledore.  He had left the table ahead of everyone else and Blaise hadn't expected him to want any part in the darker defenses anyway.</p><p>"Right then," Kereston said excitedly.<br/>
The small blonde was practically bouncing on her toes with eagerness.<br/>
"What do we do first?"</p><p>"The shield I spoke of earlier protects and defends at once.  That is the upside.  The slight down side is it requires a great amount of focus and energy to maintain especially at first," Gellert said.<br/>
"Those who can handle Fiendfyre would have an easier time sustaining it in my opinion.  Is there anyone here who has not worked with Fiendfyre?"<br/>
When no one said that they had not, he continued.</p><p>"Due to the particular property of the alerts on his spider pendant, I would wager a guess that Blaise best understands the particular mechanisms behind this shield."</p><p>Blaise felt Snape's as well as Mag's curious gazes on him at Gellert's comment.  They'd not know of his protective medallion, because he'd seen no particular reason to comment to either of them on its construction or much else.  Professor Flitwick noticed it the first day he'd worn it to charms class upon its completion which Blaise had found impressive at the time.</p><p>"The shield is programmed to recognize an enemy of the caster and kill them as well as to protect not only the caster but anyone else who passes through the shield.  That means if you cast the shield, you are capable of protecting not only yourself, but your allies while they are free to use their magic for other attacks of their own," Gellert explained.</p><p>"The spell for casting this shield is Protego Diabolica.  As you all know, it translates as protection from the devil.  This protects one from their enemies, burning them to ash with a method that is very difficult to counter and can not be countered by anyone it touches at all."</p><p>"Sweet," Millicent said.<br/>
As Gellert was explaining the spell, her entire body seemed to relax.<br/>
"Now mastering something like that would go a long way toward making my ass feel safe," she proclaimed.</p><p>"Millicent," Mrs. Zabini snapped.<br/>
"That mouth. Watch it."</p><p>Millicent scowled, but didn't dare object to the woman's reprimand.</p><p>"Several elements go into forming this shield," Gellert continued.<br/>
"The first is an energy signature of the caster so that the spell recognizes who it is protecting.  Normally casting a spell makes that obvious enough, but the fact it connects to the caster's friends and foes makes a bit of extra clarity necessary.  To achieve this energy signature when casting the spell, merely think very hard about yourself and who you are as you speak the words of protection.  The fire transfigures to something harmless when it touches your friends, while quickly killing your enemies so this extra touch of personalisation when casting is very important," he stressed.</p><p>"What if you and Blaise made a shield together as you did the amulets," Kereston wondered.<br/>
"Would it make your shield even stronger?"</p><p>"Perhaps," Gellert said thoughtfully.</p><p>"I think you should try it," Kereston said.<br/>
"We could watch, then try our own one by one while you check for if we're doing anything wrong."<br/>
She flashed a quick smile.<br/>
"Just you said teaching wasn't your strength, so it's just an idea."</p><p>"And a fine one," Gellert assured.</p><p>Stepping closer to Blaise he drew the quartz wand that Mag had given him from his pocket.<br/>
"Eventually you won't need a wand for this, but for now it may be helpful until the spell becomes entirely familiar," he said, so Blaise drew his smoky quartz wand from the front pocket of his black slacks.<br/>
"Watch as I cast it first, then we'll do it together," Gellert said and Blaise nodded.</p><p>Straightening his shoulders, Gellert Grindelwald prepared himself mentally to cast a spell he hadn't spoken in over fifty years.  Though extremely difficult to master for most, Gellert could've performed it in his sleep before his captivity which hadn't allowed him to cast magic at all for far too long.  Still it didn't occur to him that he could be too out of practice to make it work.  It was always a part of him.  It was merely that casting it again for so long made him feel the passage of time that his now young face did not show him in the mirror.</p><p>As his mind focused, his wand hand came up and he spoke the charm.<br/>
"Protego Diabolica"<br/>
The familiar black fire warmed his heart as it sprang up around he and Blaise in a tight ring.</p><p>"One can also expand the fire ring to attack as well as protect, though I don't recommend doing so without fully mastering the shield itself first.  If the extension is done before the caster is proficient in the shield itself, it could escape your control and act much like Fiendfyre.  This can cause the shield itself to slip," Gellert warned the group.</p><p>As the blonde spoke, Blaise listened while he studied the shield of black fire.</p><p>"Are you ready to try it," Gellert asked, turning to him with a warm sparkle in his blue eyes that made Blaise's stomach flip in the most pleasant of ways.  Right now he had to focus on the bloody shield though.  Tearing his gaze from Gellert's he smiled and nodded.</p><p>Gellert dropped the shield and the fire winked out in less than a second as though it was never there at all.<br/>
"On the count of three, then, and we'll cast it together," Gellert told Blaise.<br/>
Both lifted their wands ands to the ready and Gellert began to count.<br/>
"One, two, three!"<br/>
As one they spoke the spell.  Recalling Gellert's earlier instructions, Blaise made sure to think of himself as the words left his mouth.<br/>
"Protego Diabolica"</p><p>"Shit," Millie gasped as the ring of black fire sprang up around them, extending outward so that those who stood closest, Kereston, Flitwick and Bramble, took a step or two back.</p><p>Gellert noticed the spell took less energy and focus to hold with Blaise's participation and the fire was thicker and denser than usual.  He was pleased.  When they were ready to extend it out for an attack, it would be quite formidable while taking even less energy to direct.  The little blonde Kereston girl had a good mind.</p><p>"You didn't have to back up," he told those three who had done so with an amused smile.<br/>
"Not, that is, unless you are planning to kill one or both of us."</p><p>Kereston approached slowly.<br/>
"Should I test it by trying to enter, then," she asked.</p><p>"Sure," Gellert said with a careless toss of his blonde hair.<br/>
"If you fail, there are plenty of people left, though I will miss your creative ideas."</p><p>Kereston hesitated, gray blue eyes widening slightly.<br/>
"So is it safe to enter the circle or not?"</p><p>Gellert chuckled, and extended his free hand to her.<br/>
"Yes, of course."</p><p>Kereston continued her approach and once at the ring of black fire she drew in a deep breath before rushing through to Blaise's side.</p><p>"Good girl," Gellert said with a merry laugh.</p><p>"It didn't even feel hot," Kereston marveled and Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Precisely.  As I said, it reacts entirely differently toward friends."</p><p>"What if she'd been planning on killing you," Millicent demanded with a frown.<br/>
"Don't you think you'd be in for it for killing our friend?"</p><p>Gellert shrugged.<br/>
"I hardly see why.  I clearly stated what the shield will do to an enemy so if she chose to brave it in spite of my warning, she'd be killing herself."</p><p>"True enough," Kereston agreed with a laugh.</p><p>"So can you keep this shield up while on the move," she asked curiously.<br/>
"Like if you have to get somewhere and there are antiapparation wards up like the ones on this school so you need to run but you're still under attack so the shield is necessary?  Can you keep it up while running?  I ask because if we were attacked at this school, it would be a good thing if we were able to keep it up while running."</p><p>"I've never had to, but that's an interesting thought," Gellert said slowly.</p><p>"I have an idea," Kereston exclaimed, eyes lighting with excitement.<br/>
"I need to go home and get something for it though. I'll be back in ten minutes.  Everyone feel free to practice without me.  I won't be gone long."</p><p>"Great, cause we were gonna," Millicent snarked as Kereston rushed out the door.</p><p>Blaise exchanged a bemused glance with Gellert and shrugged.  He had no idea what Kereston was up to but it would be interesting to find out.  While she was gone, Millicent took her turn at the spell, and performed it successfully after the third attempt.  The first two only resulted in black fire issuing forth from her wand that fizzled out in a manner of seconds.  She was determined, though, and her third attempt produced a small ring of fire that remained around her until Gellert showed her how to release the spell with its reversal.</p><p>Wolfgang was moving up to take his turn when Kereston rushed back in.<br/>
"I'm back," she called unnecessarily, waving a thick round piece of wood that looked to Blaise somewhere between being a wand and a staff.</p><p>"AH," Filius said with a smile.<br/>
"Your music stick?"</p><p>Kereston nodded, giving the little charms professor a pleased smile before turning to the others.</p><p>"I made it for the practical bit of my N.E.W.T for charms last year.  It plays music much like a Muggle radio or CD player.  Don't worry, you don't need to know what those are," she said, waving away the confused looks on the faces of Gellert as well as all of Blaise's family.</p><p>"Your parents likely would not be pleased that you do," Sabra told Kereston with an open look of disapproval on her face.</p><p>"We learned about them in Muggle studies," Kereston explained.<br/>
"Don't worry.  I'm not slumming with the Muggles."</p><p>"Not unless you count eating at McDonalds," Millicent said with a smirk.</p><p>"No," Kereston objected.<br/>
"When I eat there I don't talk to anyone but you."</p><p>Holding up the music stick she turned to Gellert.<br/>
"I thought if we practice to music, perhaps the rhythm will help to make it easier.  People exercise to music, and this is a magical exercise," she explained.<br/>
"Especially if we try moving with the shield in place.  If you feel the beat of the music and sort of time the spell to move to it while running, I just thought it may be easier to hold it."</p><p>Gellert frowned for a moment while he processed that, then shrugged.<br/>
"It's worth a try.  What sort of music did you decide to use for this?"</p><p>"I found some eighties dance pop music," Kereston explained.<br/>
Seeing Gellert's blank look she rushed on.<br/>
"Music has changed a lot. It's gotten more powerful with this type of music called rock and roll.  You'll see...You have a lot of new things to discover as a lot has changed in this past fifty years.  I thought the beat of this particular song would be good for what we're doing.  I also thought you and Blaise may like the words as it reminded me of the two of you."</p><p>She gave a mischievous grin.<br/>
"You'll see.  I was thinking the two of you could try moving your shield, perhaps in a circle to start with as that's going with the natural shape of the shield anyway. You could link arms and turn as one to the beat of the song."</p><p>Gellert arched his brows skeptically, but shrugged.<br/>
"Allright."</p><p>Kereston waved the music stick once and said,"Play track three on repeat."<br/>
The sound of rattling drums exploded into the room from the stick in Kereston's hand, causing Bramble to start slightly and scowl.</p><p>Blaise slipped his arm through Gellert's and wands lifted they began to turn slowly to the beat, focusing on moving the circle with them as they did.  The rhythm was fast and put one in mind of dancing. When the singer began, her clear young voice was strong as it belted out the lyrics.  She sang of feeling and being able to change her lover's heartbeat and Blaise exchanged a knowing smile with Gellert.  The song spoke of holding hands and running together just to be alone and away from prying eyes.</p><p>"I thought if the two of you could actually hold hands and run while keeping the shield up, that would be brilliant," Kereston said with a wide smile.</p><p>"Then the rest of us can just hope to do it so well," Millicent said with a sigh.</p><p>"Practice," Kereston encouraged, studying the shield as Gellert and Blaise sped up their spinning.</p><p>"I can't believe we aren't dizzy yet," Blaise said with a laugh.</p><p>"That's because I used an anti vertigo charm of sorts on us," Gellert replied.<br/>
"It's a simple charm for any healer," he added with a slight pleased shrug at Blaise's smile of admiration.</p><p>"I think we're alone now," Mag sang along with the song as she stepped away from the others and lifted her wand of crystal and yellow citrine to take her turn at the Protego Diabolica spell.</p><p>"You exposed Mag to Muggle music as well," Sabra asked Kereston with arched brows of disapproval.</p><p>"I actually heard the song from her, and she got it from Severus," Kereston told Sabra a little defensively.</p><p>Sabra frowned, but didn't seem to dare to complain to Snape about his taste in music.</p><p>Everyone took their turn at the Protego Diabolica spell and within a few hours everyone had mastered it to a level that Gellert deemed at least passable.  He and Blaise were thus far the only ones who could successfully move the shield as they walked and no one other than Blaise even attempted to extend it for an attack, but Gellert assured them that for the first day even performing it at all with success was a worthy feat.</p><p>Before they left the room of requirement for lunch, Sabra scooped the amulets up from where she'd placed them in a small pile on one of the wooden chairs.  She returned each to their owner as they passed her to leave the room.</p><p>"What if someone does the shield incorrectly and a friend is burned instead of a foe," Kereston asked as they walked back in a group toward the great hall.<br/>
Blaise found that he was quite hungry as well as drained of energy from expending all that magic for several hours straight.</p><p>"If someone tosses a magic dispersing amulet at them will it disperse the shield?"</p><p>"It should at that," Gellert said thoughtfully, then gave Kereston a bright smile.<br/>
"Just in case, though, I suggest all of you make sure you know what you're doing before inviting your friends in."</p><p> (The song quoted in this chapter is, I Think We're Alone Now by Tiffany.) In case any of you want to use it while practicing your Protego Diabolica shield.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Work, work, work</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"How did your practice go," Dumbledore asked.</p><p>He and Ms. Karkaroff were already at the staff table eating lunch when the others arrived.</p><p>"You all look tired," Ms. Karkaroff said with a cheerful smile.<br/>
"Hopefully that means it vent vell?"</p><p>Blaise couldn't help but stare at the woman, wondering if her very shapely chest was going to pop right out of her dress robes.  He bit back an amused smile, wondering what old Dumbledore would do if it did.  Would it make his day or give him a heartattack?  Blaise decided either was equally likely though the former was more difficult to picture.</p><p>"It went very well," Kereston said with a smile.</p><p>"Having double strength wands really helps," she added, giving Mag a grateful look.</p><p>"Will you be wanting a crystal wand, Ms, Karkaroff," Mag asked.</p><p>"No," Bera Karkaroff and Albus Dumbledore spoke the word in unison.</p><p>"No thank you," Bera added quickly.<br/>
"My father gave me my wand, you see, and it is very sentimental for me.  I could never imagine using another."</p><p>Blaise and Gellert exchanged a look before both returned their attention to the plates of ham, potatoes and salad before them.  Who would turn down a wand double the strength of a wooden one, even for sentimental reasons?  Not to mention the fervent 'no' said by Bera and Albus at once had been odd.  At least it wasn't a dangerous sort of odd, Blaise reasoned.  Dumbledore was the last person to be doing anything unacceptable.</p><p>"How long are you planning to be here, Ms, Karkaroff," Snape asked with an annoyed frown that he didn't bother hiding.</p><p>Before answering, Bera Karkaroff gave Albus a nervous sidelong glance that he didn't seem to see as his focus was on the bowl of soup in front of him.</p><p>"I vos hoping to remain for a few weeks...in order to vork on the arrangements for our two schools.  Also I do not feel particularly safe right now vith my school empty and Voldemort...the devil knows vere," she ended in a subdued undertone, her gaze dropping to the embroidered lap of her burgundy velvet dress robes.</p><p>"That sounds fine," Albus assured, absent mindedly patting her arm.</p><p>At that, she gave him a radiant smile which he missed, due to his distracted gaze having already returned to his soup.  Blaise found himself wondering how that compromising position Gellert had seen the two in in his vision would ever come to pass at this rate...Then Eue! The idea of Dumbledore and a hot chick doing that was just...no...He couldn't think about it anymore...Instead he glanced back at his plate of food imagining Gellert naked under him on the staff table...Now that was better, and he was distracted!</p><p>"When did you want to work with me on what we spoke of yesterday concerning my interactions with Voldemort in the pensieve, Mr. Grindelwald," Snape asked.</p><p>"Some time after he makes my and Wolfgang's amulets," Millicent said firmly before Gellert could answer.</p><p>"That sounds about right," Gellert said through gritted teeth, glaring at his plate rather than Millicent, the Lady Troll.  He could not address her as he truly wished to, because he did not wish to risk returning to Nurmengard, he firmly reminded himself, viciously biting into a slice of ham that was skewered on his fork.</p><p>"Of course, because your amulet is definitely more important than Mr. Grindelwald quickly gaining an understanding of the dark lord," Snape drawled.</p><p>Millicent smiled.<br/>
"Damn right."</p><p>"If you can be available in a few hours, I can as well, Mr. Snape," Gellert said.</p><p>"It is half past twelve now, so why don't we meet in my office at three," Severus suggested and Gellert nodded.</p><p>"We're meeting every morning here for the defense practice, so just give us our pendants tomorrow at breakfast," Millicent told Blaise and Gellert.</p><p>After lunch, Blaise and Gellert headed directly for their dorm room to work on the amulets for Millicent and Wolfgang.  As he'd done last night, Gellert dumped the bag of small silver pendants out onto the bed and began looking through them.<br/>
"A pity there aren't any hideous designs here," he complained.<br/>
"I did want to find something fitting to match the both of them."</p><p>Blaise chuckled as he sat down on the bed beside Gellert.<br/>
"Wolfgang isn't abrasive like Millie and she's usually not so bad to friends."</p><p>"Oh really," Gellert challenged, looking up with a mutinous frown that wasn't directed at Blaise, but more toward his memory of the troll like couple in question.<br/>
"I found both to be rather abrasive upon our first encounter.  </p><p>"Really," Blaise asked, surprised.<br/>
"Wolfgang definitely thinks well enough of you to free you from Nurmengard, so that's odd."</p><p>"If that is the case, their way of showing it through greeting me with threats and ultimatums rather than words of admiration leaves much to be desired."</p><p>"That honestly is a surprise, and I'm sorry they treated you unpleasantly," Blaise said.<br/>
Though the words were strange coming off his tongue, he meant them when speaking them to Gellert.<br/>
""I think I shall speak to them about it when we can get a moment alone.  Wolfgang has always been open and friendly to other dark minded individuals as it were, so this feels odd."</p><p>"Well I suppose that's good to know," Gellert said half heartedly.</p><p>"Whatever you're worried about him doing, I promise, it won't be an issue, " Blaise said, reaching to draw Gellert into his arms.</p><p>"I told you, I got you...No matter what I won't let you ever go back to Nurmengard or anywhere else you don't want to go for that matter."</p><p>Gellert supposed he should feel that a boy couldn't have such influence or resources, but resting against Blaise's chest was comforting and he believed the other's words.<br/>
"What if he tried," he found himself asking softly.<br/>
"To return me to Nurmengard, that is."</p><p>"Well...I'd get my parents to help protect you and if that didn't work for some odd reason, you and I would just leave.  I can get my hands on a lot of gold fast and I'm sure you have some ideas of where we could go if we didn't wish to be found."</p><p>He'd go away with him!  Though the words weren't truly surprising, considering the connection the two of them had, they were pleasing and reassuring to Gellert's ears nonetheless.<br/>
"Thank you," he said, lifting his face to find Blaise's lips with his own.</p><p>"You don't have to thank me for being there for you as a good friend should. Besides, I know I couldn't stand being away from you...from this," Blaise replied, hands running through Gellert's blonde curls as he kissed him again.</p><p>As they sank back onto the bed together, Blaise felt all traces of his earlier ridiculous jealousy fading away with the feel of Gellert's silk hair under his fingers and his lean body against Blaise's own. What did it matter if Albus Dumbledore shared a joke with Gellert about Aberforth and goats?  It was Blaise with his hands in Gellert's soft locks, and Blaise who was about to take him to heights of ecstasy right now.  No one else.  Gellert was here on the bed with HIM and that said all there was to say.</p><p>"Mine," Blaise murmured against his mouth as Gellert drew him closer.</p><p>"That word could've made Gellert recoil in years past.  He was no one's possession, but the word 'mine' coming from Blaise was somehow freeing.<br/>
"Yes," he replied.<br/>
"And you are mine."</p><p>"Good," Blaise said and the two didn't speak again for over half an hour.</p><p>When they were dressed once more, Blaise gathered all the amulets that had scattered under them back into their little pile in the center of the bed.<br/>
"What about this tiny little wand charm for Wolfgang, and the little ornate triquetra for Millie," Blaise suggested and Gellert shrugged carelessly.</p><p>"That's fine. Now lets get this over with."</p><p>Blaise doubted Gellert would warm to the couple until Blaise himself managed to sort out whatever had happened between them.  Wolfgang was always so friendly and easy going, always ready to listen to what someone else had to say even if he was, somewhat the leader of their little group.  Blaise believed Gellert without question but it was still odd.  An hour and a half later they were finished with the pendants, and Blaise placed them into the pocket that held his wand so he'd remember to give them to Millie and Wolfgang tomorrow.  The two were a little early when they arrived at Snape's office.  The door was unlocked so Blaise opened it after a short knock to find Albus and Bera there with Severus.  Severus didn't look at all happy, but the other two wore neutral expressions that were more difficult to read.</p><p>"We'll just let the three of you get to it," Albus said, standing to leave a little too hastily or so it seemed to Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
"Cheer up, Severus.  You'll do fine."</p><p>"WHAT EVER," Severus Snape enunciated, glaring as the two left.</p><p>"I assume whatever that was has nothing to do with the current situation," Gellert asked hopefully.</p><p>Severus sighed, sinking down into the chair behind his neatly arranged desk.  A shiny pensieve stood in its center.<br/>
"Not directly.  At least not as far as you are concerned.  Everyone thinks Albus died because he believes this will bring Voldemort out of hiding and more into the open where he will supposedly be careless enough for even Potter to manage to kill him.  As part of this charming little plan I'm stuck being Headmaster of Hogwarts as if playing double agent isn't piling enough on my mental plate," Snape said venomously.<br/>
"He thinks I'm going to work with that woman in his stead!  I'm not into helping others for no reason and she and her weakness aren't my problems, especially right now."</p><p>"Understood," Gellert said with a sympathetic nod.</p><p>"She doesn't have magic," Severus exploded.<br/>
"She's a bloody Squib!  They just dropped this on me making it my problem.  With a Squib running one school, it means if there is true trouble I'm running both when I didn't even want the responsibility of one!"</p><p>"I can't believe they're allowing a Squib to run Durmstrang," Gellert said.<br/>
"Much more has changed during the past fifty years than even I suspected."</p><p>"Oh not so much as all that," Severus assured dryly.<br/>
"They aren't aware that she's a Squib.  It's her little secret or rather Igor Karkaroff's little secret.  He was her father, and a former Death Eater.  Death Eaters are the followers of Voldemort in the most inner of circles as it were," he explained.<br/>
"Karkaroff didn't want the shame of having other wizards know that he had a Squib daughter so he had a special wand crafted for her.  Apparently when she holds the wand she can perform magic like any other wizard, but it must be that wand."</p><p>"Interesting craftsmanship," Gellert said.</p><p>Blaise nodded.<br/>
"The maker must have stored a ton of magic in it and linked it to her."<br/>
He looked to Gellert.<br/>
"Well at least now we know why she wasn't interested in one of Mag's wands."</p><p>"Indeed," Severus drawled.<br/>
"And if there is a fight and she loses that wand, Albus expects me to help and I have enough to deal with."</p><p>"Understandable on your part," Gellert said.</p><p>Severus sighed again, running a hand through his lank black hair while pulling the pensieve toward him with the other.</p><p>There is nothing to be done about it today, and you came here to learn of Voldemort. Let us get to work, shall we?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Voldemort's Jedi Mind Tricks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Severus pushed the full pensieve across the desk toward Blaise and Gellert where they sat side by side across from him.  He hated feeling reluctant about this instead of eager to learn anything Grindelwald could uncover on the dark lord.  It was simply that Severus had felt rather safe and secure in his belief that he and Albus had basically discovered everything.  With Grindelwald's own doubts expressed yesterday, Severus began to develop his own.  Now wasn't the time for him to begin worrying or to feel unsafe or gods forbid to slip!</p><p>Blaise silently looked to Gellert for instruction on what he wished him to help with.  He'd mentioned it yesterday but Blaise had to admit he'd forgotten what with everything else going on not to mention this particular branch of magic was entirely new to him.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert shifted slightly in his chair, the thin quartz wand from Mag suddenly in his hand and passing once over the pensieve.  Blaise tracked the spell with his eyes, drawing his own smoky quartz wand in preparation for whatever came next.</p><p>"How is this going to work," Severus asked.<br/>
"Did you wish to view my memories to study Voldemort first or are you conducting the spectral analysis? Or can the two coincide?"</p><p>"We start with a sophisticated scanning of these memories for the spectral analysis first," Gellert thoughtfully confirmed. "We shall assign some standard measures to your memories, turn them into points of information that we can refer to later. We will see where your impressions peak, estimate the number of changes in them, the rate of change, etc...Quantifying your memories through some principles of Arithmancy. When the scanning spell alerts me or rather us, to being concluded, then we proceed with the spectral analysis itself. </p><p>The first level would involve contrasting your memories from two different periods of time with each other. The second level of complexity, much later, would be comparing your impressions with those of the friend you mentioned. The one who also observed this Dark Lord and agreed to offer his testimony to help us," Gellert explained, suddenly finding himself unable to recall the name of the said friend, if Severus had even given it.</p><p>"When all is said and done, Blaise and I will run a...kind of refinement that allows us to see how deeply the sets of memory impressions diverge from one another, and hopefully establish a probable cause for the divergence. It is actually normal enough for two sets of observations of the same person to vary. Not all variations can be accounted for by subtle spells, provided they are in a previously established range of deviation. If the range of deviation is too great and the deviation is consistently great throughout more than one period of time, then we could suspect foul play of some sort. Sometimes the results would be inconclusive at any rate, so we are just experimenting here, without any definite expectations," the dark wizard added, feeling thrilled at his ability to mention himself and his partner in the same breath. It was a mere statement of truth of course, they were working together as a team, but saying it out loud made him happier than he could have expected.</p><p>"I have put all of my memories involving interactions with Voldemort into the pensieve. Would you want to analyze my memories and add those of my friend later or are they necessary together," Severus asked.<br/>
As he spoke, he flicked a look to the large white owl that sat on the back of his chair.  Blaise supposed he'd send the bird with a note for said friend when necessary.</p><p>"I am aware," Gellert confirmed with a small nod. "I was just letting you know what kind of spell I was running as well as reminding Blaise of the kind of assistance I would need. Multi tasking at its finest if you ask me," he said cheerfully.</p><p>"The spell is already in progress on your memories, the non verbal kind, of course. It somehow seems fitting to use a more complicated procedure on something so complicated. don't you think? Never mind, the spell is almost done now. Three quarters done,  I believe, but don't quote me on it. I would know precisely when it goes off...oh there It goes. Lucky guess on my part, I suppose. Alright. Now that your memories are all quantified, let us insert those of your friends, please," Gellert encouraged with an eager smile. Unlike many other spells, this one had not become routine quite yet, and he was truly looking forward to seeing what the outcome of this new technique would be.  </p><p>Severus found it difficult to concentrate on Grindelwald's bloody babbling.  Obviously the blonde German was simply trying to impress Zabini, and from the rapt expression on the Slytherin's face, he'd succeeded richly.</p><p>"My friend," Severus said, glancing at the owl again.<br/>
"Well...My friend...he's right here."</p><p>Blaise had been intensely focusing on the spell Gellert had set into motion over the pensieve, but Snape's words brought his attention back to the potion's master with a snap.<br/>
"What, the owl," he asked incredulously.</p><p>"Yes," Severus said.<br/>
The owl flew down from the back of his chair to land on the table in front of the pensieve.  Severus produced a wand of clear quartz and black obsidian with an oval garnet set in the middle where the black and clear stones met. The wand was obviously from Mag, and fancier than any others she'd made that Blaise could remember seeing. Touching the quartz end to the side of the bird's head, Snape began withdrawing memories and adding them to those of his own in the pensieve.  Gellert was scrutinizing the owl carefully now, but he did not speak, instead waiting for Severus to clarify.</p><p>"He is more intelligent than other owls, you see.  When Mag got him as a first year student, he could converse with the intelligence of a human...Actually more so than many," Snape added dryly.</p><p>"And yes I'm quite certain he's a real owl.  Believe me I checked."</p><p>The owl shuddered.</p><p>//Believe me he did.  He gave me this nasty ass potion that was supposed to actually kill me if I wasn't a real owl.//</p><p>The thoughts spilled into Blaise and Gellert's minds and as they did, the bird turned its snowy white head to regard them.<br/>
"Interesting," Gellert said.</p><p>"You were just born smarter than other owls," he asked, addressing the owl directly.</p><p>The bird nodded.</p><p>//Yeah, for sure.  Other owls are dumb,// the owl thought into their minds as he had previously done.</p><p>"The acromantulas were once basic spiders, as you likely know and magic improved them.  It is my theory that some wizard attempted to improve an owl a few generations before you were born...the wizard likely saw no success and believed his or her experiment to be a failure so put the owl back with those of its kind to carry letters or what have you.  Eventually you were born as you are because the genetic magical enhancement took that long to take hold," Gellert told the owl.</p><p>//Well I'll be damned!  I was always terrified of being put in a fuckin' lab so some wizards could get at what makes me so different and you just figured it out...no lab required.  Thanks man.//</p><p>Gellert grinned, nodding at the owl with a slight shrug.<br/>
"My own experiments with animals were along similar lines.  Only I had larger goals so my failures were more...extravagant."</p><p>The owl blinked in silent curiosity and Gellert shrugged again.<br/>
"Some animals may have exploded before I was expelled from Durmstrang."</p><p>//Wow,// the owl commented, thought tone somehow managing to sound amused.</p><p> </p><p>"So how did you become a...what is it called, Death Eater," Gellert asked the bird.</p><p>//I didn't,// the owl replied with another shudder.<br/>
//That's one creepy crazy mother fucker right there!  When you see my thoughts in the pensieve, I hope my perception of his aura shows up because...I've never seen anything like it.  I'm not anything close to what I'd call Mr. Nice Bird, and that fucker scares me...No not sure that that's right.  Maybe it goes beyond scaring to just like...freezing my fucking blood in horror.//</p><p>"Interesting," Gellert said.</p><p>Not exactly the sentiment Blaise would use, and now he was trying not to shudder.  He'd be great if he never got near Voldemort.  He'd always felt that way and now the sentiment was definitely highlighted.</p><p>//He's not human but it's worse than that,// the owl concluded, mental tone indicating frustration that he had no better words, but resignation to that same fact as well.</p><p>"Mag wanted me to take Nightshade with me to meetings in hopes that he could use his telepathic abilities to help," Severus offered in way of explanation.</p><p>//Yeah like pick the minds of the other followers for useful info for Prof and Dumblefuck to use," Nightshade added.</p><p>Gellert snickered at the slur of Dumbledore's name and the owl fluffed his feathers in pleasure.</p><p>//He's like too soft on shit, so I call him Dumblefuck,// he said proudly.</p><p>//Prof doesn't approve.//</p><p>Gellert snickered again, but Blaise was distracted by a thought.</p><p>"So what does Voldemort think of you bringing an owl with you to the meetings when you never had a pet before," he asked Snape.</p><p>"He doesn't," Severus replied.<br/>
"I use a series of chameleon charms on Nightshade to disguise him before we go," he said, nodding at the owl, indicating that his name was Nightshade.<br/>
"One chameleon charm is on his body, to make it appear as part of my robe, and the other is on his mind to make it appear as part of my own mind. So all anyone sees or senses is me."</p><p>"Ah," Blaise said, nodding.<br/>
That made sense.</p><p>He and Gellert got to work on the analysis then and no one spoke for several hours.  When it was complete, both lowered their wands with exhausted sighs.</p><p>"Well...that was at least as successful as I could've hoped for.  Once again our collaboration was outstanding," Gellert said, giving Blaise a pleased smile before turning to Severus.<br/>
"It appears that Voldemort did attempt to lay some manner of compulsion on your mind, a few years back, but was unable to do so.  May we have some water?  That was very draining."</p><p>Severus blinked.  This meant that Voldemort was perhaps laying compulsion on the minds of his followers...Perhaps even those who were obsessively devoted like the Lestranges...Perhaps even especially them for all he knew.  That was all well and interesting, but the fact he had only attempted to do so to Severus and failed...well that could present a problem of its own.</p><p>"So he knew I was able to block him," he asked and Gellert nodded.</p><p>//Shit,// Nightshade thought.</p><p>//You're too good for your own good, Prof!  What if Voldemort doesn't trust you because he couldn't headfuck you.//</p><p>Severus merely nodded.  He'd already gotten there and didn't like it.</p><p>"I heard he forces people to follow him, so the fact he mentally compels his own inner circle isn't really that surprising I suppose," Blaise commented.</p><p>"If I may, I will study these memories more in-depth tonight and return them tomorrow at breakfast," Gellert told Severus and Nightshade.<br/>
"I'd like to study as much of the workings of Voldemort's mind as I can so going over these more than once is preferable."</p><p>Severus nodded and numbly rose to get Blaise and Gellert the requested glasses of water.  He only hoped the dark lord's inability to break his mental shields didn't start the man mistrusting him as much as he feared it did.</p><p> </p><p>******* Want to learn more of Severus's only friend aka the bad ass owl, check our story Knowledge is Power.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Welcome to My Parlor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Neither Blaise nor Gellert realized how much the accelerated magical analysis had drained them until they nearly fell into one another when standing to leave Snape's office.<br/>
"I'll carry the pensieve for you," Severus said grudgingly.<br/>
"I don't want it being dropped.</p><p>"We can handle a pensieve," Gellert protested but Severus scooped it up with no comment and led the way out of the dungeon.<br/>
"Sabra and Geo said they'd be in the library when you two were ready.  Your elf has already taken your belongings away," he said as he headed in the direction of said library.</p><p>"Why?  Is there something worth reading in there," Gellert asked and Blaise nodded.<br/>
"The restricted section is decent."<br/>
In fact that's where Blaise's parents and Bramble were to be found when the three reached the library.</p><p>"Well how did it go," Sabra asked, standing with a warm smile.<br/>
"Are you two boys ready to go home?"</p><p>"For sure," Gellert said with an eager smile.<br/>
The concept of home sounded restful and right now they could do with some rest.  He could've believed himself out of practice, and perhaps that was the case, but the actual working of the spells had come naturally to him with no hesitation.  He and Blaise could do so much more together, though, and the work had gone so rapidly, but it had taken more energy than the two had noticed at the time.</p><p>"What's wrong, Severus," Sabra asked, obviously noting the man's expression was more dour than usual.</p><p>Severus shrugged.<br/>
"Perhaps nothing and perhaps Voldemort mistrusts me because my mental shields are so good.  If he assumes I'm hiding something, there could be...difficulties."</p><p>"Oh dear!  What are you going to do," Sabra asked and he shrugged again.<br/>
"I shall begin by speaking to Albus I suppose.  Then if necessary we can brainstorm the situation with everyone else."</p><p>Sabra nodded, looking, at least for her somewhat sympathetic.<br/>
"Come on then, boys.  We are to use the flu in the headmaster's office to get home unnoticed."</p><p>Gellert and Blaise followed along behind the rest of the family, Severus trailing them, likely to speak to Albus on the matter of the spectral analysis results.</p><p>The headmaster was alone in his office, and he greeted them all warmly as he lead the way over to the flu in the far corner of the room.  Severus presented Geo with the pensieve before he stepped through.<br/>
"You'll want to carry this.  Those two nearly fell down when leaving my office," he informed.<br/>
"The work obviously drained them and I don't want the pensieve being dropped in transit."</p><p>"We could've levitated the bloody pensieve," Gellert grumbled.<br/>
"If being tired made me that ill equipped to handle magical items properly, they'd have taken me down decades before they actually did."</p><p>//Yeah, but those are our precious thoughts and we're taking no chances,// Nightshade thought to Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
//And in case I forgot to say earlier, don't either of you Tel a fuckin' soul about me. I don't want people knowing I'm special.  Got it?//<br/>
Gellert merely shrugged at the bird, and taking Blaise's hand walked into the flu behind Geo Zabini.  They emerged into Geo's study, Bramble and Sabra on their heals.</p><p>Blaise had planned to give Gellert the grand home tour as soon as they arrived, but at this point he just wanted to sit down.  His hand still in Gellert's from the trip through the flu, he headed over to the sofa against the far wall.  They sank down onto it together, leaning back into the cushions.<br/>
"Are the two of you alright," Sabra asked, a motherly expression of concern crossing her face as she dusted off her robes.<br/>
It was that sight that reminded Blaise that he and Gellert hadn't even bothered to dust themselves off after exiting the flu. They were so drained they'd entirely forgotten.  As both found it very important to maintain their good looks, that was really saying something.</p><p>"We may have exerted ourselves a bit," Gellert admitted.<br/>
"That series of spells could easily take an entire day.  Though Blaise and I have discovered that we work far faster when our efforts are combined, completing that entire exercise in less than four hours was impressive even for us."<br/>
He gave a faint chuckle.<br/>
"Apparently at a slight cost."</p><p>"So anything we can do for you," Geo asked amiably.</p><p> </p><p>"Perhaps something to replenish us," Gellert suggested, lifting his head slightly from where it rested beside Blaise's on the back of the sofa.<br/>
He looked at Bramble, giving the elf a slight smile.<br/>
"Bramble will make the both of you some restorative soup and he can probably whip up some of the butterbeer with energy that Gellert Grindelwald likes so much though the ingredients may differ slightly as Bramble must work with what he has here on short notice," the elf concluded in a slightly apologetic tone.</p><p>"Wonderful," Gellert said giving him a winning smile.<br/>
"And just call me Gellert if you like.  I'm never formal with friends."<br/>
The words felt foreign leaving his tongue as he'd had so few actual friends in his life.  Was it appropriate to think of the elf as a friend?  Well he was part of the Zabini family and so he supposed it was fitting though his exposure to elves was extremely minimal.</p><p>Bramble hesitated, then gave a slight smile and nod to match before  vanishing with a crack, presumably to the kitchen.</p><p>"So where is the rest of the family," Gellert asked curiously as he gave way to his exhaustion and rested his head back on the sofa.</p><p>"Oh they will be here and there," Sabra said vaguely.</p><p>"They won't want to risk being seen," Geo clarified.</p><p>"Because they're protecting us," Sabra supplied as she wandered over to sit at Geo's desk in the spare chair.</p><p>"And good protectors are basically invisible else what's the point," Geo concluded their shared explanation as he followed his wife and sank down into the large nearly round office chair behind his desk.<br/>
"Ah home sweet home, how I have missed thee," he happily intoned.</p><p>"So they're using the disillusionment charm," Gellert asked and Geo spun in his chair to grin over at him.</p><p>"See? Being all tired out isn't draining your wits in the slightest! I knew Blaise chose well!"</p><p>At this, Blaise's own head popped up from where it rested on the back of the sofa as he straightened to stare at his father.<br/>
"You did?"</p><p>"Well...I mean the man thing was really weird for me," Geo backpedaled a little.<br/>
"But I've never seen you laugh the way Gellert makes you laugh.  When I saw that at dinner last night I really understood."</p><p>"You did."<br/>
Blaise was pleased to have his father so on board, but it was honestly a bit shocking as well, because he and Gellert weren't exactly conventional and it had happened so fast.  Of course for them it was only right and natural.  Still Blaise hadn't expected others to adjust so quickly, though Kereston seemed to have done rather nicely with how she accepted them as a couple and even saw how well they could work together.</p><p>"It was just like that with me and your mum.  Sabra was all stuffy and stuck up, looking down her nose at everyone and everything before I made her dance and laugh.  When I saw Gellert having the same effect on you, I knew he was your Sabra, Son."</p><p>"Only I'm not a girl," Gellert said, giving a chuckle of amusement and mild incredulity at Geo's reasoning without bothering to lift his head again to do so.</p><p>"You're blonde and you bring Blaise out of his shell like nothing else ever has, so that's enough to work for me in this particular instance.  Deal with it," Geo said firmly, grinning cheerfully over at Grindelwald.</p><p>Gellert laughed again.<br/>
"Works for me.  I'll take it, Daddeo."</p><p>Geo chuckled.  Bramble was back then with a silver serving tray that held two bowls of steaming herbal smelling broth with flecks of ham floating on the surface.  A plate of crackers rested on the tray between the bowls.</p><p>"Oh that reminds me," Geo said, grinning at the elf as he placed the tray on the low coffee table in front of the sofa.<br/>
"Gellert...If you need anything...anything at all EVER from the kitchen do not hesitate to ask Bramble...No matter what time of day or night it happens to be, ask him rather than daring to venture into the kitchen to get it for yourself.  If you go into his kitchen he becomes very upset and offended."</p><p>"Of course," Gellert nodded hastily as he straightened on the sofa to take one of the bowls of soup.<br/>
"As a guest I'd never presume."</p><p>Sabra laughed softly and shook her head.<br/>
"Oh no. It has nothing to do with being a guest.  He hates it to a palpable degree if ANYONE goes into his kitchen, and I do mean ANYONE."<br/>
She winked then stage whispered, "We're frightened of him too."<br/>
Bramble gave an incredulous frown as he apparated out.</p><p>"Not to mention I hardly think you're a guest at this point," Geo assured and Gellert found himself blushing, uncertain exactly as to what the words indicated but feeling oddly touched by them nonetheless.<br/>
"Well...Thank you,Sir."</p><p>Geo grinned.<br/>
"And I was rather liking Daddeo."<br/>
Gellert grinned back.<br/>
"Good."</p><p>The broth smelled delicious and he found himself ingesting it far faster than he'd intended.  Blaise must have required sustenance as much, for his bowl was empty around the same time as Gellert's own.</p><p>"I suppose it's likely obvious, but I see no need to return to Hogwarts when term begins in the fall," Blaise said, regarding his parents as he spoke.<br/>
"It'd simply be a waste of time.  They have nothing left to teach me and I can accomplish so much more with Gellert."</p><p>Sabra laughed.<br/>
"Oh I don't think so!  Geo and I have put far too much effort into keeping this family safe and out from under the radar for you to ruin it when it matters most!</p><p>"How is it ruining anything if I stop attending Hogwarts?  I've excelled in every class and I honestly do feel it has nothing left to offer me.  I was merely cooling my heals there until Voldemort died and it was safer to travel, but now with Gellert here, I literally have better things to do," Blaise exclaimed, indignant that his parents were actually trying to ruin the next year for him.</p><p>"Your mother and I were apart for a year too, you know," Geo supplied soothingly.<br/>
"We met in our sixth year and as I was attending Durmstrang we had to wait to be together as well."</p><p>"So you're doing this to be petty," Blaise demanded.<br/>
"Because the two of you couldn't be together right away, you can't stand for us to have the luxury you didn't?"</p><p>"Of course not," Geo said with a calm shake of his head.<br/>
"I'm just saying that we relate."</p><p>"Well I'd rather be with Gellert and have you not relating at all if it's all the same."</p><p>"Well it isn't all the same, because you are returning to Hogwarts in the fall,"  Sabra snapped.<br/>
"People will wonder why you didn't return, especially after the dementor incident.  We can't have anyone looking at us or wondering and we've done a bloody good job of accomplishing that feat so far!"</p><p>"I already explained my theory on the dementors knowing my name.  I told you they could probably extract it from my mind," Blaise said, frustrated.</p><p>Sabra nodded.<br/>
"And it's a good sounding theory, but we can't know if it is true or not so we're being safe."</p><p>"I'm of age, you know," Blaise reminded them darkly.<br/>
"I could just leave."</p><p>"And then we'll cut your bank ties and be sick with worry about you as a result," Sabra said tightly.<br/>
"Blaise we give you everything and we don't ask much.  Please be good on this matter for Mummy and Daddy."</p><p>Blaise blinked incredulously and let out an exasperated sigh as both his parents stared him down.</p><p>"Gellert can even remain here with us rather than returning to Wolfgang's if he prefers," Sabra coaxed.<br/>
"Would you like that,Gellert?"</p><p>"I...Why yes Mam I would if it is no trouble," Gellert said.</p><p>"Ah I'd enjoy the company," Geo said expansively.<br/>
"Besides I bet you have tons of interesting stories."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. No Rest For the Wicked</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I can't believe they're pulling this!" Blaise exploded as soon as the door to his bedroom was firmly shut behind them.<br/>
He and Gellert had excused themselves to go up stairs so Gellert could study the contents of the pensieve as he only had it until the morning.  While he was busy with that, Blaise planned to work on more of the magic dispersal amulets.  They were both still a little tired, but Bramble's restorative broth had done wonders and he promised to bring the butterbeer with energy as soon as it was ready.  In times like this, with so much that needed doing, being a bit drained didn't mean one could afford to stop work for the day.</p><p>"I suppose they're just doing what they think is the most safe," Gellert said mildly<br/>
"I don't want to vex you further, but you could consider the fact that...you're very fortunate to have parents that love you."<br/>
He spoke softly, gaze sliding away from Blaise's, mildly embarrassed to express the sentiment.<br/>
"Is it alright if I use the desk for this Pensieve?"</p><p>"You can use anything in this room as if it was your own," Blaise told him firmly.<br/>
He smiled.<br/>
"It's odd because I'm not one to fancy the idea of others in my personal space, but I want you everywhere."</p><p>"And that makes it mean all the more," Gellert said as he carefully placed the full Pensieve on Blaise's desk.<br/>
"As you can likely guess until you I was much the same.  I never believed I wanted to share a space with anyone, but now...it's nice."<br/>
Gellert knew he'd not used the right word, because it was a million times nicer than nice. It was secure in the best sense of the word, and empowering and companionable in the best of ways and comfortable and...indeed so much more than nice.  But as they had a lot to get done and as men, weren't one for flowery speeches, nice would have to do.  From the warm look Blaise gave him, his choice of wording had carried its point across.</p><p>"I'm sorry for being a git about the parent thing," Blaise said, knowing that Gellert had lost his own parents at a very young age.  As he spoke, he moved over to the bed where Bramble had put all their supplies for making enchanted items.  The elf had unpacked their things while they were in the library.</p><p>"Of course it's alright," Gellert assured.<br/>
"I don't even remember them.  I suppose it's the lack they left that I feel more than their particular loss as individuals."</p><p>Blaise nodded.<br/>
"That makes sense.  And though mine can be mad as bloody hatters, I really do love them very much.  I'm just as good as they are with being safe.  It's simply that I feel I could be even safer not to mention more productive and all around happier were I to remain here with you."</p><p>Gellert smiled as he sat down in the swivel chair in front of Blaise's desk.<br/>
"I agree with you, but the time will pass quickly and they've been so supportive about everything else.  Our relationship, allowing me to remain here..."</p><p>"I know," Blaise said, heaving a sigh.<br/>
"It's just going to be such a bloody waste of time.  I know I'll not learn one productive thing at stupid Hogwarts for the entire year.  Won't you at least try to speak to them on my behalf," he implored.<br/>
"You're the Great Grindelwald.  Perhaps they'll listen to you."</p><p>Gellert grinned over his shoulder at Blaise, lively blue eyes sparkling with amusement.<br/>
"Ah but you're the Great Zabini."</p><p>Bramble came in then with two large frosted glasses of butterbeer.</p><p>"Bramble put Gellert's trunk of clothes beside the wardrobe, because he had no idea how long Gellert would be here," the elf said.<br/>
"As he will be remaining here, Bramble can unpack them now.  Would Gellert like his clothes to be put away here with Master Blaise's or will he want a separate room to store his things?"</p><p>Gellert turned the chair to look at Blaise.<br/>
"Have you a preference," he asked and Blaise shook his head.<br/>
"Whatever you like," he said.</p><p>"In here, please," Gellert told Bramble and Blaise smiled.</p><p>"Actually I did have a preference.  I wanted everything of yours to be in here with mine."</p><p>Gellert felt something inside of himself relaxing in relief as he chuckled.<br/>
"Good."</p><p>Bramble rolled his eyes and huffing a small sigh, bent to drag Gellert's trunk around in front of the wardrobe.  He opened the lid with a gesture and clothes began to fly out and onto clothes hooks.  Gellert watched, somewhat mesmerized by the elf's effortless manipulation of magic.<br/>
"Thank you, Bramble.  And for the butterbeer as well."</p><p>As the elf nodded, Gellert took one of the glasses from where Bramble had placed them on the corner of Blaise's desk.<br/>
"Bramble made an entire pitcher in case you'll be wanting more," the elf said gravely.</p><p>"Thanks," Blaise said, without looking up from the small pile of silver pendants in his hand.<br/>
"We'll probably need it."</p><p>As their energy was too low for shagging, working, plodding along at a project that needed completing, was the only reasonable thing to do.  Gellert pored thoroughly over Severus and Nightshade's memories twice, taking notes intermittently.  Aside from the pensieve Blaise's desk held a stack of parchment and an enchanted quill that Gellert made good use of.  For his part, Blaise completed two more amulets, one shaped like a monocle and the other like a lady's fancy shoe.  He decided to give those to Dumbledore and Miss Karkaroff tomorrow.  While sorting through the little pendants, he'd set aside two more for his parents.  For his father, a small silver knife charm and for his mother a tiny wine goblet.  Those would be the next two he and Gellert made together, perhaps even tonight if they didn't crash.</p><p>It was pitch black outside the window when Bramble knocked at the door again as Blaise finished the second amulet.<br/>
"Would Master Blaise and Gellert like Bramble to bring dinner up here, or would you like to come downstairs?  Mistress wasn't sure if you would prefer to continue working or have a rest, but Bramble personally feels you should rest."</p><p>Though the elf's words were mild enough the line of disapproval that formed his mouth plainly said he would not be pleased if the two didn't take a  break.</p><p>"It would be good to rest," Gellert said, sighing and rolling the chair back from the desk.<br/>
"You are wise, and we shall dine downstairs with you and the rest of the family," he told Bramble.</p><p>Blaise's parents were waiting for them in the dining room.  As soon as Blaise and Gellert were seated, Bramble began to serve everyone.  Unlike in many other households, the elf ate with the rest of the family as one of them.</p><p>"Well, Love Birds, how goes the work," Geo asked.</p><p>"I could fancy myself as a seagull I suppose," Gellert said with a cheerful smile.<br/>
"For my part, I pored over the memories of Voldemort that were in the pensieve several times."</p><p>"Find anything of interest, then," Sabra asked curiously.</p><p> </p><p>"Surprisingly not," Gellert said, taking a hungry bite of shrimp alfredo.<br/>
"I found Voldemort's personality and interactions to be surprisingly ordinary."<br/>
Even Blaise gave him an astonished look at that.</p><p>"I'm sure his magical skill and the twisted lengths he will go to serve to make up for it," Gellert said, almost apologetically.<br/>
"Perhaps I should be surprised that he ended up with the serpent maledictus, but in truth it just fits the pattern."</p><p>"He has a what," Geo asked.<br/>
"Yes, that's a new one," Blaise added helpfully.<br/>
His parents often served wine with dinner and at present he was glad of it.  Lifting his glass he took a fortifying sip, then another.</p><p>"If I recall correctly, her name is Nagini.  She could still take her human form in my day, but that's likely changed for the worst by now," Gellert said.<br/>
"She didn't seem a bad sort, so I wonder if he is bending her to his will or if she changed due to her...situation."</p><p>"Interesting," Geo said.<br/>
"You mentioned a pattern.  What pattern?"</p><p>Gellert lifted slender shoulders in a slight shrug as he sipped his wine before replacing his glass on the table beside Blaise's.<br/>
"I have visions as you know.  I had some fleeting glimpses of what I took to be future magical trouble on a wide scale.  I assume I was seeing Voldemort.  Many curses were involved, cursed beings, cursed objects.  It all makes sense I suppose even if it was rather vague."</p><p>After the meal was over, Blaise and Gellert returned to their bedroom and made the amulets for Blaise's parents from the pendants he'd selected earlier.  When the two at last fell into bed, both were certain they'd fall directly into sleep.  When they cuddled together as they were wont to do, however, their bodies had other ideas.  One lingering good night kiss turned into several long passionate kisses that had them both needing much more.</p><p>Blaise rolled onto his back, drawing Gellert's body across his.<br/>
"Take me," he practically pleaded, murmuring the words into Gellert's ear as his body arched needily against the other wizard's.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. I Can't Do Without You For Too Long</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The two were awakened by a knock on the bedroom door and Bramble's voice calling that it was time to wake up.  Blaise groaned and raised his arms to cover his head.  Gellert squeezed his reluctant eyes closed against the unwanted morning sunlight.  All the magical exertions of the previous day had both wizards wanting more sleep, but a second knock on the bedroom door made it clear that it wasn't going to happen.</p><p>"Alright, we hear you,"  Blaise shouted.</p><p>"Good.  Bramble has very strong coffee waiting for both of you downstairs," the elf called coaxingly and that was what got them out of bed.<br/>
As Gellert tugged on some fresh clothes, it struck him just how odd it was to wake in the morning and feel sleepy.  He supposed it was normal, but for decades, as the leader of a wizard world wide rebellion, he wasn't able to afford that luxury.  He supposed back then his mind had considered it a necessity to wake on high alert.  He woke and was immediately ready for action.</p><p>Not so now.  Now his body was heavy and his movements were slow as he covered a yawn and glanced blearily in the mirror to comb his hair.<br/>
"You look beautiful," Blaise said, running a hand down Gellert's arm in a tender caress that had him smiling.<br/>
They stumbled sleepily down stairs to be greeted by the delightful smell of strong fragrant coffee.</p><p>"Bramble added an extra energy kick," the elf said, presenting them each with a cup that both clutched onto gratefully.<br/>
"Bless you," Gellert said with a chuckle and Bramble looked pleased.<br/>
Blaise's parents were already ready to go to Hogwarts, but they waited for the two to finish their coffee.  When everyone was ready, Bramble apparated them all to escape being seen crossing the grounds.</p><p>"The fewer people who catch sight of Gellert until all this is over, the better," Sabra explained.<br/>
"Not to mention if Voldemort has placed spies in the forest, we don't want them seeing our family here and wondering why."<br/>
Bramble had put them just outside the great hall and when they walked in, the staff table was already partially full.  Filius sat staring at a muffin and a cup of coffee. Wolfgang was there with Millicent, and Kereston, Albus, Severus and Mag sat across from them.  Severus was speaking animatedly to Albus and Wolfgang while Nightshade had at his breakfast.</p><p>"So considering all that if he decides to trip before all this is over, I'm screwed," Severus concluded whatever he was telling Wolfgang and Albus as Gellert and the Zabini's sat down.<br/>
The potions master looked stressed and Mag appeared to be struggling not to cry.</p><p>//Notice he's beginning to talk like me when he's stressed,// Nightshade thought to Gellert.<br/>
//Two years ago he'd not have known what trippin' or screwed meant and just listen to him now!  He's makin' me proud.//</p><p>//It's good to know that it doesn't take much,// Gellert replied, unable to resist.<br/>
Nightshade responded by flicking a bit of scrambled egg from Severus's plate onto Gellert's sleeve.  Gellert wiped it away before turning his attention to his own breakfast.</p><p>"Here's your pensieve, Severus," Sabra said, taking it carefully from Bramble and placing it on the table beside the potion master's plate.<br/>
"Very good," Severus said with a nod before looking over at Gellert.<br/>
"Did the memories hold anything useful?"</p><p>Gellert shrugged.<br/>
"His personality isn't that impressive and his obsessions are predictable.  He bores me.  The maledictus companion is the most interesting bit I suppose, though it doesn't seem particularly useful unless he wants to get rid of bodies by feeding her."</p><p>"How do you know it's a her," Kereston asked curiously.<br/>
Gellert explained that he'd heard of Nagini decades ago.<br/>
"With her condition being so rare, word of her existence tended to spread," he said.<br/>
"Why would she want to be with a slime like him," Millicent wondered.<br/>
"Probably because he can actually talk to her, being a parseltongue," Severus said.<br/>
"As you know, those don't exactly grow on trees."</p><p>"Even still, I think I'd rather talk to myself than that fucker," Millicent objected and Severus nodded. "I can't disagree."</p><p>"The fire shield that Gellert instructed us in should protect you from a direct attack if Voldemort attempts one upon your person, Severus," Wolfgang said, addressing the conversation they were having before Gellert and the others had come in.<br/>
"If it comes to that you will have to flee him and hide.  My concern is an attack that you won't see coming in time to put up any sort of defenses, though the way Voldemort seems to operate makes me believe he'd want to brag a bit first."</p><p>Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Indeed and such a character trait provides a fatal shortcoming which works grandly for us," he said.<br/>
"We will just need a place for you or any of us to hide out safely if it ever comes to that.  I'm thinking somewhere remote, perhaps in one of the Nordic countries.  Blaise and I could work out something rather easily, but with him having to return to Hogwarts, that would be more difficult," he concluded, sliding a hopeful look to the Zabini parents.</p><p>He'd promised Blaise to try talking Sabra and Geo out of making him return to Hogwarts, but they seemed too intent on carrying out their original plan so he didn't have much hope.</p><p>"Don't even think about it, Dear," Sabra told Gellert with a firm shake of her head.<br/>
"It's only a handful of months in the end and the two of you will survive it."</p><p>"Of course, Mam, but it will be ashame to have all our work put on hold as it will truly benefit everyone in our little party," Gellert said, sending a hopeless look in Blaise's direction.<br/>
His words were true, and yet he knew that the fact the parents wouldn't care was equally as true.</p><p>"The two of you will just have to work together from afar.  I'm sure with both of your advanced skills, that can be arranged," Sabra said confidently.</p><p>"Not as easily as you might think," Blaise complained, frowning at his mother.</p><p>"What with most of the students getting out to Hogsmeade on the weekends, perhaps we can arrange something here," Severus suggested after a moment of consideration.<br/>
"We can stick Blaise and Gellert into a spare room of the staff wing. No one will see them and they can get plenty of work done.  Filius and I can bring them food and whatever supplies they'll need for each of their current projects.  With Albus being gone, I can't say that Gellert's presence here won't ease my mind a bit when things start to get more stressful," the potions master admitted.</p><p>"Thank you," Blaise said, giving Severus a relieved smile.<br/>
"That's far better than what we would've had otherwise."</p><p>Gellert nodded.<br/>
"One good turn deserves another.  It's good to be able to help one another out."</p><p>"And that means more work than shagging," Kereston said pointedly and Filius choked on his coffee.</p><p>"Oh Wolfgang! We have the amulets for you and Millicent," Blaise said, suddenly remembering that he had them in his pants pocket.<br/>
Standing he dug them out and passed them over to the well dressed half giant.<br/>
"Thank you both," Wolfgang said, giving them a polite smile as he passed Millicent's to her.</p><p>"Yeah," Millicent agreed with a tight nod.<br/>
"Even if it did take you long enough."</p><p>"Wolfgang.  My parents are willing to have Gellert remain with them while I finish up at Hogwarts.  Is that suitable," Blaise asked.<br/>
Wolfgang shrugged, nodding.<br/>
"Fine with me.  Whatever works best, I say."</p><p>Blaise had intended to speak with Wolfgang about what he could've said to make Gellert dislike him so, but as Gellert didn't have to stay at Adler Manor at all, he saw no point at present.  Blaise giving Wolfgang and Millicent their amulets reminded Gellert of those he carried.  Standing he reached into his own pocket and produced four pendants.<br/>
"For the two of you," he said, passing the two for Blaise's parents over to them.<br/>
"And for you and Miss Karkaroff," he said, handing the final two to Albus.<br/>
"Don't worry, yours comes next," he told Severus, who nodded.</p><p>//And me,// Nightshade thought firmly.<br/>
//I want one too.  Never know when a crazy snake faced bastard will decide to fuck an owl up, after all.//</p><p>"And we'll make one for the owl as well...Just in case," Gellert said aloud with an amused wink at the bird.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Dangerous Minds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Just as they had yesterday, after breakfast their little group moved to the room of requirement for defense practice.  Gellert asked Filius what he'd like to teach, and the charms professor suggested a bit of dueling.<br/>
"I'm quite aware that all of you know how to duel, but there are some nasty tricks I'd like to share.  They may just save a life during the coming year.  If you are dueling two people at once, this particular trick that I'd like to begin with can kill both.  It involves two charms.  The first pulls all the water from one opponent's body and the second charm puts it down the throat of your second opponent, drowning them.  Perhaps a little gruesome, but they likely won't know counter curses for this particular attack.  If they do have an idea for one, they'll be too busy suffering to implement it."</p><p>"Damn," Millicent said, impressed.<br/>
"Professor Flitwick is a savage!  I love it!"</p><p>The little professor chuckled, looking a little embarrassed.<br/>
"Thank you, Miss Bulstrode."<br/>
He sighed.<br/>
"I know that for many the proper thing to do is simply to incapacitate, but with Voldemort's lot, that attempt may end up costing you your life.  They will be trying to kill you, and that matters."</p><p>"Hell yeah,"  Millicent agreed enthusiastically.<br/>
Even Gellert was impressed at the little man's creative methods of killing.  The brand of magic employed was unfamiliar and as such all the more intriguing.  Flitwick demonstrated the wand movements for both charms, speaking words for each in Gaelic.</p><p>"I want all of you to face a wall and practice the wand motions and proper pronunciation of the charms," he instructed.<br/>
"Obviously these aren't the sort of charms we would wish to practice on one another."</p><p>Today the room had made itself even larger for their use and the only piece of furniture was a long table near the door for storing any personal items.  Everyone fanned out and faced the far wall to practice.  Once Flitwick was pleased with everyone's mastery of both charms, he sorted them into groups of two for general dueling practice.<br/>
"I would like to see everyone's overall speed, reflexes and style of fighting," he said.</p><p>Blaise and Gellert turned to face off against one another without waiting to be assigned a partner, but Filius moved to stand between them.<br/>
"I would very much like to work with Mr. Grindelwald," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.<br/>
"I'm curious to see how long I can last against the best."</p><p>Gellert chuckled.<br/>
"Alright then."<br/>
Though he'd looked forward to...crossing swords with Blaise in a more professional way, they had plenty of time for that and he was curious to see what other tricks Flitwick had up his sleeve.</p><p>"Brilliant," Flitwick enthused.<br/>
"Mr. Zabini, you can work with Miss Boxwood."<br/>
Blaise nodded and went to face off with Kereston, but both were distracted by watching Gellert and Filius.  Their wands practically flew from one fluid movement to another, and both men leapt about with lightning speed avoiding the hexes and curses thrown by the other.  In the end, it wasn't only Blaise and Kereston who paused to watch them.  Everyone stood riveted as the duel played out.  Eventually Gellert began to look a little strained around the edges, but Filius was slowing, his thick salt and pepper hair plastered to his head with sweat.</p><p>After a few more exchanges the little charms professor laid down his wand and held up his hands.<br/>
"I'd have to actually try to hurt you if I had a hope of winning, and I'm sure you could more than hold your own even then," he gasped, laughing.<br/>
"That was wonderful!  Thank you, Mr. Grindelwald!"</p><p>"You've got some interesting moves," Gellert said.<br/>
"That was fun.  Thank you."</p><p>"And now it's time for the rest of you to play now that we're not distracting you," Filius said cheerfully as he turned to everyone else.  He and Gellert walked about, commenting and making helpful suggestions to each team.  Flitwick had matched everyone up well so that each person worked with someone of their own general skill level.  Blaise's parents made one team, Millicent and Mag another, Wolfgang and Severus a third, Kereston and Blaise a fourth.  Severus and Wolfgang had exchanged and deflected a few curses when the potions master stepped out of the line, one hand moving to his other arm as a frown of trepidation crossed his face.</p><p>"Nightshade and I have to go," he said tightly.<br/>
"He calls."</p><p>No one had to ask who HE was.  Practice was less light hearted and more subdued after Severus departed.  Kereston suggested more practice with maintaining Protego Diabolica while a person was on the move.<br/>
"Don't worry, I brought the music again as it really seemed to help last time," she said.<br/>
Moving to the long table near the door where her shoulder bag sat, she extracted the music stick.  Soon the rapid beat of Tiffany's I Think We're Alone Now filled the large room.</p><p>"I was thinking about the words to this song and that if you and Blaise could actually sort of enact them while keeping the shield in place, you'd be able to hold it up during anything," Kereston told Gellert excitedly.<br/>
Gellert blinked, looking mildly perplexed.<br/>
"What?"<br/>
"It's simple," Kereston insisted, waving the stick at him and causing the sound of the song to move about with her motions.</p><p>"Stop that, Boxwood," Blaise complained.<br/>
It's annoying!  Put the stick down on the table so that it can play the bloody song in peace."</p><p>Kereston nodded, continuing to speak to Gellert as she moved back to the table.<br/>
"It's talking about holding hands and running as fast as you can to get away from everyone else and be alone together. Then you tumble to the ground and put your arms around one another and say that you think you're alone now.  I know it sounds daft, but work with me!  If you can run, and fall to the ground holding one another and keep the shield in place during all those different types of movement in various directions, you've got it locked down no matter what could be happening!"</p><p>"The concept isn't entirely stupid," Gellert said cautiously and Kereston threw him a dirty look.<br/>
"You're an odd little girl, aren't you," Gellert asked with an amused laugh at getting a rise out of her.</p><p>She rolled her blue gray eyes at him.<br/>
"And you're a bratty little boy!"<br/>
"Why thank you," Gellert said, inclining his head as though she'd just given him his proper due.</p><p>"Alright then, lets go. I'll start the song over and the two of you enact the words while trying to keep the shield up," Kereston instructed.<br/>
"Go there to the far end of the room so you've plenty of room to run and fall together."</p><p> Blaise and Gellert exchanged a bemused look, but clasped hands and ran to the far end of the room as the song started up anew.  They ran and tumbled to the ground and held one another close.  Only when they kissed did the shield slip.</p><p>"Gods," Millicent complained strenuously.<br/>
"No one wants to see that."</p><p>"I thought it was about doing something difficult while maintaining focus," Blaise snarked.<br/>
They tried it again and again.  On the third attempt, the shield remained during most of the kiss.</p><p>"Okay then.  It looks like you've got it down perfectly so long as you don't snog," Kereston said.<br/>
"So in times of great danger or when parents are present,, do not snog,"  Geo said firmly.</p><p>Everyone else practiced Protego Diabolica, and when they were about to break for lunch, Severus returned.<br/>
"How'd it go,"Mag asked, rushing to embrace him.  Blaise looked away in discomfort at the odd way the potions master's face softened as he hugged her back.  Gods was that how odd he and Gellert seemed to others when they looked at one another?  At least he and Gellert were way hotter, but how odd they must look if their expressions held that strange softness or sappiness or whatever the hell it was.</p><p>"He's planning something big," Severus said tightly.<br/>
"Several something's.  One involves the Ministry directly, but he only shared that with those specifically involved.  He had another interest where I am concerned.  He expects me to install some of his followers as professors for the upcoming school year so that he might...improve the standards of education at Hogwarts.  Obviously I have no choice."</p><p>"And you're still going to bloody insist that I continue to attend," Blaise practically shouted at his parents.<br/>
To his great satisfaction, both looked shocked and a little ill.  The color had drained from Geo's face and Sabra clutched at her husband's muscular arm with both hands.</p><p>"I'm afraid they will have no choice in the matter," Severus said.<br/>
"For he has decided that attendance is mandatory."</p><p>"But how is he going to enforce that," Millicent demanded.<br/>
She looked horrified, and practically hid behind Wolfgang.<br/>
"I have a theory that he will be in control of the Ministry itself by the time term begins if he isn't already," Severus said flatly.</p><p>"MOTHER...FUCKER," Millicent practically screamed.<br/>
"The Ministry sucks," Kereston groaned into her hands.<br/>
"I'm so glad to have graduated, but...Blaise...Millie...I'm so sorry you have to deal. If the Minister had moved on this way earlier...we'd not be living in fear right now!"</p><p>"Don't call me Millie," Millicent said, but only half heartedly as her focus was obviously on other more horrifying matters.</p><p>"But if I get married, I won't have to go, and we planned to get married this summer anyway," Millicent said, words poring out rapidly as her dark brown eyes grew more desperate and panicked.</p><p>"Sounds reasonable," Severus said.<br/>
"Marital status should change the expectations of the board of education concerning school requirements so you can try."</p><p>"What if I get his attention by trying to avoid it, though," she wondered.<br/>
"Fuck, that puts me right between fucked and fucked!"</p><p>"You're beginning to sound like my parents, minus the swearing," Blaise drawled.<br/>
"Get married.  It'll be fine.  It sounds as if Voldemort will be plenty occupied without wondering why you're having a life."<br/>
Blaise's mind had yet to fully process his feelings on the situation.  He knew that soon it would feel a bit like a nightmare coming true and he wasn't at all looking forward to that.  The feeling of Gellert's hand closing around his was more of a comfort than he could've expected.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Gelaise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>No one spoke much at lunch.  Voldemort had effectively punctured the cheerful mood of earlier as though he'd been right there to do it with a sharply jagged needle.  Individuals either looked thoughtful or brooding as they ate.  When Albus and Bera joined the group mid way through the meal, Severus filled them in on the situation and though Miss Karkaroff looked ill with trepidation, Dumbledore was calm.</p><p>"I expected as much,"  he said.<br/>
"I hate to hear it confirmed, but I did expect it.  If there is anything I can do to help, of course you've only to contact me and I can be here on the instant, Severus," he added to the former potions master.</p><p>"What do you mean," Severus demanded.<br/>
"I thought you were hiding out here."<br/>
Albus shook his head of bushy white hair in negation.<br/>
"Miss Karkaroff has had the most brilliant idea!  She suggested that I hide out at Durmstrang for the next year.  Her plan is for me to transfigure myself to appear differently, and pose as a new professor."</p><p>"That means he'll be enjoying the physical pleasures all year," Gellert whispered into Blaise's ear.<br/>
Blaise couldn't keep his eyes from widening in mild horror at the idea of Dumbledore shagging.  Though Gellert had already shared his vision concerning Dumbledore and Karkaroff, Blaise's brain just...couldn't...</p><p>"Oh well that sounds just lovely for you,"  Severus told Albus venomously.<br/>
"You get to enjoy yourself at Durmstrang while I'm stuck here having to manage this bloody school...which you know is way out of my element.  One class is what I can do, not one entire bloody school where I have to deal with people!"</p><p>"At least that'll probably end up being the least of your worries," Millicent muttered darkly.<br/>
Though Severus shot her a black look, he did not disagree.</p><p>"Severus.  We both know if I remain in hiding here, I am at great risk of being discovered.  Miss Karkaroff's idea is the best solution.  We can make a portkey connector between the two schools, and then we can all fight together if it becomes necessary as well. Does that make you feel better?"</p><p>Severus stared at Albus Dumbledore for a moment without replying.  When he spoke, his tone was flat.<br/>
"Yes.  I'm just great now, thanks."</p><p>Albus sighed and the silence stretched out while everyone ate.<br/>
"I guess we meet again tomorrow morning for practice and general commiseration," Kereston asked glumly and Mag chuckled.<br/>
"That's fine," Severus said, tone just as glum as Kereston's.</p><p>"Blaise and I will get started on the mirrors for Hogwarts defenses this afternoon," Gellert said.<br/>
"We can set them up and then key them to the particular areas of the school when we're here tomorrow.  There will be enough for all trusted professors to have one.  If anything untoward happens, someone should discover it fast enough to gather the forces and take action."</p><p>"Thank you both," Severus said, giving a tight nod.<br/>
"That will at least serve somewhat to put my mind at ease."<br/>
He threw Albus a hostile look that plainly said none of the old Headmaster's words on the matter had served to accomplish that.</p><p>"I've decided that whenever Gellert is here visiting during term to work with Blaise, rather than you an Filius sneaking them food, Bramble can just bring it into them.  If you're being watched, no one will spot anything strange," Sabra told Severus.<br/>
"They won't even see Bramble coming or going because he can simply apparate directly into the room where they will be staying."</p><p>"I do so get the warm fuzzies at the idea of being watched that closely," Filius said, making a face before downing his pumpkin juice as if he wished it were something stronger.<br/>
"One would like to hope they have better things to do, but better safe than sorry," Sabra said.</p><p>"Speaking of that," Kereston said brightly.<br/>
"With Gellert sneaking into the school during term to work with Blaise, we should give them a mashup couple's name.  Then if anyone needs to refer to them, they can use that name and no one will understand.  For example, if Professor Flitwick needs to mention them to Professor Snape it would just make things way easier.  I suggest Gelaise."</p><p>Blaise and Gellert exchanged a dubious look, but Flitwick and Snape only nodded so Kereston smiled happily, obviously pleased with herself.<br/>
"Good. Gelaise it is!"</p><p>After lunch, the group broke up, going their separate ways until the next day.  As planned Blaise and Gellert returned home and spent the rest of the day making the scrying mirrors for Hogwarts.  Several small creatures including mice, frogs, and pygmy puffs gave their essence to the mirrors to allow them the proper amount of sentience.  Once more Gellert was glad that Blaise didn't waste magical potential on being needlessly soft hearted on such matters.</p><p>In fact it was so very...moving that they had to pause in their work a few times to physically express their mutual appreciation for one another's...magical skills.  When they returned to Hogwarts the next morning, Gellert carried all the mirrors in a soft leather satchel slung across one shoulder.<br/>
"I think we should key these mirrors to the various locations they will be depicting before we expend any energy with our practice in the Room of Requirement," he told everyone at breakfast.<br/>
"The keying should be relatively simple, but Hogwarts itself is already laden with enchantments so if there is an unforeseen difficulty it would simply be better if Blaise and I attended to it while we're at our full strength."</p><p>"You made them all yesterday," Kereston asked, impressed.</p><p>Gellert nodded, smirking at the little blonde.<br/>
"What can I say? We're quite accomplished...and together we are excessively so."</p><p>Millicent tilted her head, pretending to be struggling to hear him.<br/>
"What was that you said?  That you're both daft?  Yeah I can see that, but don't be so hard on yourselves."</p><p>Gellert laughed.<br/>
"Try harder," he encouraged and Millicent made a face, already bored.</p><p>After breakfast everyone else went ahead on to the Room of Requirement while Flitwick and Snape accompanied Gellert and Blaise to key the mirrors to various parts of Hogwarts including all the secret passages.  Though Gellert was concerned that the act of linking the mirrors to various places in the school would be more difficult due to all the other many enchantments laid on the place by the Founders as well as those who came after, it was surprisingly easy.  They were finished within an hour and a half and even had time to join the others for a bit in the Room of Requirement before lunch.  When they arrived, Wolfgang was showing everyone a rather difficult and nasty jinx for making someone's wand direct any spell they cast on the caster themselves.  If you had time to place that onto an opponent's wand, they'd end up only attacking themselves.  Blaise rather liked the idea, but wondered how practical it would be during an attack.  For example, would he have time to cast the jinx before something happened to him?  As if reading his expression, which he likely had, Gellert spoke, addressing Blaise's concerns precisely.</p><p>"That is a perfect jinx for a battle team.  If any two people are working together to attack someone, one can cast that jinx while the other attacks normally to distract the opponent."<br/>
The smile he gave Blaise clearly said he was thinking of the two of them, and yes. Blaise decided that even attacking someone would be hot as long as he was doing it with Gellert Grindelwald.</p><p>"Exactly," Wolfgang said, nodding.<br/>
"That jinx is intended for when one group is fighting another, which may very well be the case sooner than later."<br/>
Blaise liked the half giant, but damn if he didn't know how to ruin a mood.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Viva La Vida</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As usual the group went their separate ways after lunch.  Once at home, Blaise and Gellert started in on their next project, that being the pendants that linked everyone together in case of serious trouble.  The first stage was to prime the pendants each person would wear with a Protean charm to accept the linking spells.  This stage didn't take very long at all.  The pendants Mag had gotten them for this were all the same, which was logical as Blaise saw it.  The pendants linked the group so if they all looked the same, it made the magic run even more smoothly from one to the other.  The pendants were little bronze Greek castings of Athena and her owl.</p><p>They would require help for the next stage simply because Blaise's parents didn't want he and Gellert traveling at present.  They were still dementor paranoid when it came to Blaise, and they didn't want to risk Gellert being spotted so soon after his break from Nurmengard.  No matter that Blaise had handled the dementors just fine and escaped with no issues.  No matter that no one would be looking for a teenage Gellert Grindelwald even if anyone happened to discover the old man Wolfgang had planted was a fake.  There was no reasoning with them on the matter.</p><p>"What sort of place would be best for our safe house," Blaise asked.<br/>
He and Gellert sat side by side on the bed in their room, the pendants they'd just finished priming between them in a small pile.  Blaise never thought he'd even consider sharing his room with anyone, but sharing it with Gellert felt pleasantly intimate.</p><p>"Of course somewhere remote would be best," Gellert said.<br/>
"And large enough for us not to all go stark raving mad if we're shut in together for any amount of time."</p><p>"So some sort of large building or even manor house somewhere in Switzerland or the Alps or even some remote part of Russia," Blaise speculated.<br/>
Gellert nodded, smiling at the way Blaise so easily followed his own train of thought as his was much the same.  This felt as intimate as sharing a private space, and he liked it very much.  Never had he craved a deep connection to anyone of the sort he had so quickly formed with the young man beside him, but now that he had it, he found it rather a necessity.</p><p>"Well as the parents definitely won't allow us to go house hunting that far from home at present, what if we call in assistance from Wolfgang," Blaise suggested.<br/>
"He's very well traveled and likely has useful connections."</p><p>Gellert found himself nodding listlessly, unable to become enthused, but knowing the idea was a good one.<br/>
"Are you alright," Blaise asked, concern in his richly low baritone voice.<br/>
He placed a hand on Gellert's shoulder, and Gellert found himself relishing the comforting contact in spite of his somber mood.<br/>
"If you're still concerned about him returning you to Nurmengard, I'll set him straight on that fast," Blaise promised firmly.</p><p>Gellert sighed.<br/>
"No. This time it has nothing to do with the troll.</p><p>"Troll?  He's a half giant," Blaise said, mildly perplexed as well as amused.</p><p>"Troll...Giant, whatever," Gellert said with a grin and a careless irreverent shrug.<br/>
"My point is I don't care about him.  I'm staying here now so as long as I cooperate with him, I doubt he will feel the need to throw his vast troll weight about on the matter."<br/>
He shifted listlessly on the bed, scooping up the pendants and replacing them in the cloth bag Mag had provided to keep them all together.<br/>
"It's this entire Voldemort situation.  I didn't think it would, but it's gotten to me as much as it has to everyone else," he admitted.</p><p>Sharing his feelings wasn't something he'd ever felt the need to do before, but at present, it was a great relief to unburden himself to Blaise.  It was as if a great weight of sulky resentment lifted from his shoulders as the words pored out.<br/>
"The entire thing is stupid!  I could handle this!  If not for that annoying prophesy about the Potter kid, I could gather an army and free the wizarding world of the threat of this mockery of a dark lord.  The man can't even use his own name without scrambling the letters to make some stupid pretentious rubbish name," he grumbled.<br/>
"From what I saw in Severus's memories, many of Voldemort's followers were coerced into his service so it isn't as if they would be naturally loyal.  I could easily sway them and they'd be happy to join me in taking down someone who would force their allegiance.  Not to mention the fact he probably compelled many of his own inner circle if he made the same attempt on their minds as he did to Severus's.  Taking him down would be so simple if not for the prophecy that dictates that Potter must do so instead.</p><p>I don't operate in the same way as Wolfgang.  I'm sure you're aware that I don't enjoy working in the shadows as much as taking a situation head on.  I hate skulking in the shadows when I am well qualified to do so much more. It galls to say the least.  But I dare not go against the prophesy because no matter my skills, if I am not meant to do this thing, some unforeseen fluke would stop me and I've had enough of that.  Enough of having my efforts unfairly thwarted and being unjustly locked away.  In this case, perhaps even worse could befall me...And then there is your safety to consider."</p><p>He reached to cup Blaise's cheek in his hand, running his thumb across his full bottom lip.<br/>
"I care too much about what we have between us and what happens to you and your family to risk any of us in what could be a futile effort.  Those prophecies aren't to be challenged.  As a seer myself, I am well aware."</p><p>Blaise nodded against Gellert's hand, ice blue gaze warmly sympathetic on Gellert's own.<br/>
"I understand all of that.  Though it is hard, it takes a lot of strength to go against your urges or even instincts and do what you know is right.  I don't speak of stupid morality, of course.  I mean what you know is right versus what you also know is likely to end badly," Blaise said.</p><p>The compliment to his wisdom from this beautiful young man made Gellert feel far better about being wise.  With a low near growl of desire, he drew Blaise into his arms, covering his mouth with his own.  Then there was only intensely pleasurably erotic sensation.  No feelings of resentment and frustration, and no thoughts of Voldemort or Gellert's own past glories.</p><p>Blaise returned Gellert's kiss hungrily as he let the blonde gently push him back onto the bed.  Gellert straddled his hips as his hands swept over the lean muscles of Blaise's chest after sliding his green silk t shirt off.  Blaise groaned as his hips thrust upward with a will of their own, his erection awake and demanding.  He tugged in frustration at Gellert's gray silk shirt, causing a few buttons to fly.  He could just see Bramble's silent frown of disapproval at the prospect of having to sow them back on.  Thinking of his elf while indulging in extremely hot foreplay was just nasty, so he banished the annoyed frown firmly, leaning up to trail his lips across the satin skin of Gellert's chest.  The sight of Gellert's slender pale body, blond curls spilling over his shoulders, made sure Blaise's mind had room for nothing else.</p><p>With a sigh of contentment coupled with need, Gellert raised himself enough to unbutton Blaise's pants and slide them off while the other did the same for him.  As Blaise unzipped him, his fingers trailed over Gellert's erection and the sensation made his breath catch.  When Blaise slipped down his underwear and took Gellert's full length into his hand, the German let out a low cry of pleasure as he felt his eyes flutter closed.<br/>
"Oh Blaise, yes!"<br/>
He arched into the other wizard's hand, nearly losing it then and there, but restraining himself with an effort.  They still had much work to do today, so he wanted this interlude of pleasure to last.</p><p>Reaching blindly for the tube of cream on the bedside table, Gellert squeezed liberal amounts into both of his hands.  With one he coated his own erection while doing the same for Blaise's with the other.  Covering Blaise's ready mouth with another passionate kiss, he slid two fingers inside, massaging until Blaise was writhing under him and groaning with need against his lips.  Gellert worked Blaise's erection, loving the sight of his pale hand against Blaise's darker flesh.  The shape of Blaise's erection was perfect and nearly made him mad with desire.  Never had he thought of anyone's body in the way he saw Blaise's and it was erotically intense.</p><p>"It's so beautiful," he said as he slid himself inside of Blaise's tight opening. Propping himself up with one hand, he continued to stroke the other wizard's erection with the other.<br/>
"What is," Blaise murmured against his mouth, and Gellert stroked him again.<br/>
"This.  I love the look of it...the feel of it...the taste of it..."</p><p>"No yours," Blaise managed, and Gellert gave a low chuckle as he thrust deeper inside, causing Blaise to cry out in pleasure.<br/>
"No.  I don't get nearly as much out of mine."</p><p>It was Blaise's turn to chuckle, the sound light and breathless as his full lashed eyes fluttered closed.<br/>
"No I mean I...feel that way about YOURS..."<br/>
The last word came out in a near shout as Blaise spilled over Gellert's hand.  Another thrust and Gellert was right there with him.  Afterward he collapsed against Blaise's chest and they lay panting together for several delicious minutes before regretfully drawing apart after a final kiss.  They still had to talk to Wolfgang about stage two of their latest project before the day was over.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Professional Widow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blaise and Gellert were pleasantly satiated and over all more relaxed when they went down stairs to find Blaise's parents.  The two were in the dining room.  Funeral catalogs were spread out over most of the dining table.<br/>
"You really like that coffin," Blaise's dad asked incredulously.<br/>
"No way am I going to lie for three hours in that thing.  I need comfort and style!  That thing has no curves...no class."</p><p>Sabra Zabini threw back her head and laughed.<br/>
"You sound as though you're talking about a woman, Geo.  I like the wood it's made of is all.  It's not every day you see a coffin made entirely of rowan wood."</p><p>"Well it's a no for me," Geo said, decisively turning a page in one of the catalogs before catching sight of the two young men standing together in the doorway.<br/>
"Come over here you two," he said, waving enthusiastically.</p><p>"I should've warned you," Blaise said to Gellert's understandably bemused expression.<br/>
"Dad has this obsession with funeral catalogs."</p><p> "It's a reasonable side effect of faking one's own death every few years," Geo defended merrily.<br/>
"Now get over here and have a look at this year's newest coffin releases.  I need help with selecting which one I'm going to be buried in this time."</p><p>"Why do you fake your own death," Gellert asked, struggling half heartedly to bite back a smile of amusement.</p><p>"Oh...You'd not know, would you," Geo said, nodding.<br/>
"Sorry.  We all must have forgotten to tell you...as it's obvious Blaise hasn't explained either.</p><p>"Sorry, Dad.  There were just always other things..."Blaise said, shrugging.<br/>
With a small sigh he turned to Gellert.<br/>
"My parents came up with this crack brained idea to remain out of Voldemort's radar by making themselves seem so dark that he'd never consider them a threat even if they weren't approaching him."</p><p>"Crack Brained," Geo shouted indignantly as Sabra frowned at her son.</p><p>"I'm telling it," Blaise said, frowning back at both of them.<br/>
"My dad happens to be an unregistered Metamorphmagus and he used the ability to fake his own death and make himself look different so he could be Mom's new husband.  Once they had word later that Voldemort may not be dead, they kept doing it...It's now a game they rather enjoy," he concluded dryly.</p><p>Gellert gathered from Blaise's tone on the matter that he didn't enjoy it nearly as much as his parents.</p><p>"It kept you...all of us safe over the years, and there's no reason not to have a little fun," Geo said.</p><p>Blaise arched elegant dark brows at his father.<br/>
"I'm supposed to enjoy attending funeral after funeral and making myself seem a pig by getting two plates of food every time?"</p><p>Gellert finally did chuckle then.  It wasn't the strain of pretending to lose his stepfather that got to his Blaise at these 'funerals, but the embarrassment of appearing to be crassly piggish!<br/>
"Dare I inquire why you had to get two plates of food," Gellert asked through his laughter.<br/>
"Of course I do!  I'm very daring!"</p><p>Blaise sighed.<br/>
"Because Dad always wants to eat as soon as he can safely apparate out of the coffin and back home.  Rather than having Bramble make him something, he wants to see what sorts of food people decide to bring to his funeral," He said with a roll of his eyes.</p><p>"Hey!  You can tell how much someone likes you by what they bring to your funeral.  Also who is shitty and cheap," Geo defended.</p><p>"Well it always sticks me with looking like a greedy little git," Blaise grumbled.</p><p>"I told you to tell them it eases your grieving," Geo said with a grin.</p><p>"I do tell them that as you well know, but I doubt that makes me less piggish," Blaise retorted.</p><p>Gellert chuckled again.<br/>
"I doubt anyone minds," he told Blaise.<br/>
The soft look he found himself giving the other wizard nearly startled him until he realized it would feel more odd to suppress his natural feelings for Blaise instead.</p><p>"Well are the two of you going to come over here and look at these coffins this year or not," Geo asked impatiently.<br/>
"Um...We sort of wanted to  talk to you about something else," Blaise said a bit hesitantly.<br/>
He didn't want to offend his father's coffin obsession, but he felt, with every fiber of his being, that making a safe house in case they needed it was a bit more pressing!</p><p>"If it's about you not attending Hogwarts for your final year, you know there isn't anything we can do about that now," Sabra said tightly.</p><p>"That isn't it, Mum," Blaise replied impatiently.<br/>
"It's about those amulets Kereston thought up that allow any one of us to get to a safe location with everyone else if something happens."</p><p>"Is that what she said, then," Sabra asked curiously.</p><p>"Basically," Blaise replied, waving a dismissive hand.<br/>
"I may have improved upon it a little, but the general concept was hers.  Anyway we need somewhere safe and remote that Voldemort wouldn't know about and that will comfortably hold all of us.  Knowing that you'd never allow Gellert and I to go out hunting for such a place on our own, I thought Wolfgang would be willing to do it if he didn't already know of a suitable place."</p><p>"I can check with the Cabal back home in Italy if he doesn't," Geo said reluctantly.</p><p>Blaise nodded. He understood his father's reluctance.  As a young man, Geo had wanted to live his own life away from the structure and expectations of the cabal.  It would be uncomfortable to return just because he needed help.</p><p>"Would they be difficult about lending assistance," Gellert asked.<br/>
"Surely they understand the threat posed to even them were Voldemort to succeed in his wizarding world takeover."</p><p>"Of course, they understand which is why I'm sure they would help," Geo said.<br/>
"I just wanted to avoid becoming entangled with family business if I could.  If you want to go and talk to Wolfgang, we'll do that now."<br/>
He rose from his seat at the table without even glancing again at his coffin filled catalog spread.</p><p>They apparated to Adler Manor and Gellert lifted the heavy brass door knocker.  It looked like some sort of mythical beast that he didn't recognize.  When a Kobold opened the door, Gellert was almost impressed.  The little blue creatures were powerful but tended to shy away from men.  Did they prefer giants, he wondered.  That or the wizard Wolfgang had some interesting tricks to make it faithfully serve him.</p><p>"We are here to speak with Mr. Adler on a matter of great import," Blaise told the little creature.<br/>
It bowed and gestured them inside before hurrying away.</p><p>"It's seen all of us before," Sabra assured to the look of concern on Gellert's face.<br/>
"I'm sure Wolfgang has it trained not to allow in strangers."</p><p>Gellert nodded, relieved because that was actually his exact concern.  He found himself beginning to feel very at home in a family that was as cautious as himself.</p><p>"Hello again," Wolfgang called cheerfully as he approached the front hall where they were all waiting.<br/>
"I've asked my Kobold to bring us all tea in the library.  I do hope nothing is wrong," he concluded, a slight look of concern crossing his strong handsome features.</p><p>Blaise hastily shook his head.<br/>
"Fortunately not," he assured.<br/>
"We came to speak with you on a matter of location...It's about those charms Kereston suggested we make to allow us all to gather in one place were something to happen."</p><p>"Ah yes... Very good," Wolfgang said.<br/>
Turning he led them to the library. It was a comfortable room full of books as one might expect.  The book shelves were floor to ceiling and they lined every wall.  There were two long sofas and a few comfortable looking armchairs.  Several little round tables were scattered about as well.  Some of the tables were also stacked high with books.</p><p>Millicent Bulstrode sat on one of the sofa's, a large heavy book in her hands.  She wore a flowing green summer dress and her hair was piled high.  Blaise noted how she continued to go out of her way to look pretty for Wolfgang.<br/>
"What's up," she asked.</p><p>"We need to find a safeplace location before Gellert and I can complete those amulets that allow us all to gather in case of emergency," Blaise said, tired of having to continue to repeat the reason for this meeting over and over.<br/>
His tone must have come out strained, for Gellert gave him a look of sympathetic amusement.</p><p>The little blue kobold hurried in then, carrying a fully laden tea tray. It held a steaming fragrant smelling pot of tea, six cups, and some little round cakes that made Gellert's eyes light up.</p><p>Wolfgang gave the other German wizard an understanding smile.<br/>
"I thought you might appreciate a little snack from home," he said.</p><p>"Danke," Gellert said sincerely.<br/>
The little blue creature pored the tea and filled a plate with the little round cakes before bowing and leaving the room.  Once everyone had taken a cake to go with their cup of tea, Blaise turned to Wolfgang.</p><p>"As you know the parents won't feel it's safe right now for Gellert and I to go out looking for a safeplace as we'd like to do..."<br/>
"Because it probably isn't safe, and we won't risk anyone discovering Gellert's location," Sabra cut in.<br/>
Blaise shrugged.<br/>
"As I said," he continued pointedly to Wolfgang.<br/>
"We won't' be able to do it ourselves, so we were hoping you could have a look around for somewhere remote and large enough for everyone to be relatively comfortable if we had to hide there for any amount of time.  We were thinking somewhere in Switzerland or the Alps or even Russia..."</p><p>"There would be you, Grindelwald and your parents, me and mine, Wolfgang and his dad, Snape, Mag and her folks, Kereston and hers, Flitwick, Kreacher and Regulus, and if Snape drags them along, Dumbledore and Karkaroff, though they're likely to hide at Durmstrang," Millicent said.</p><p>"Kreacher and Regulus," Blaise asked, curious."So they decided to work with us then?"<br/>
Millicent nodded.<br/>
"Of course. They hate Voldemort and they work with the dark arts as we do so it only stands to reason they'd be completely on board with helping us stick it to him as much as the prophecy allows."</p><p>"As it happens I already have one place in mind,"  Wolfgang said.<br/>
"It seems to fit the bill for providing a large amount of space as well as being out of the way and only known to a select few.  Even better those few don't have a use for the place anymore so no one should want to go near it if we've a mind to use it.  It is in a remote part of Norway.  Not so long ago it was used to host magical auctions."</p><p>He turned to Grindelwald.<br/>
"Those sorts of auctions where I came across, and was able to purchase, items like the scroll which held the recipe for your youth, for example.  There was a break in there, and those wizards in charge of the auctions lost interest in the place, considering it to be unsafe.  I feel certain that the vandalism was strictly Muggle in nature so they had nothing to worry about, but they wouldn't risk anything going amiss.  They found a new place to hold the next auction in Egypt and decided to make it their permanent base.  This makes the building in Norway free for the taking.  The vandalism has ruined the reputation of the place and no one wants it now."</p><p>"So we can buy it easily, then," Sabra asked, and Wolfgang nodded.<br/>
"I should think so."</p><p>"If you'll accompany me there, I'll go take care of it first thing in the morning, then," Geo said.<br/>
"I can do that," Wolfgang said amiably.<br/>
"That work for you two,"Geo asked, turning to Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
Blaise looked to Gellert who hesitated, then nodded.<br/>
Gellert didn't like the fact that the building was known to whatever wizards once attended auctions there, but any place they found would be known to someone unless they built their own, which they didn't have time to do at present.</p><p>If you'd like to see the entire story of Blaise's parents, check out our one shot, Ms. Zabini, also uploaded here.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0042"><h2>42. He'll rip his shirt off in a second</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For the first time, Blaise and Gellert did not have to wake early and rush into a day full of things that needed doing.  Before they left Wolfgang's manor the previous night, the half giant had written letters to everyone in their little practice group requesting that they meet in the evening rather than the morning so that he and Geo could attend to buying their new stronghold in Norway.  This meant Blaise and Gellert had the morning to themselves.  When Blaise woke, he simply lay for a while, enjoying the opportunity to wake gradually, as it was surely to become a rare treat.  Gellert's head was snuggled against his shoulder, the blonde's arm flung across his waist.  The depth of feeling that filled him simply when looking at Gellert was still frankly terrifying.  As it was also the most incredible thing he could imagine, however, he'd learn to handle it, Blaise decided.  Unable to resist the urge to kiss Gellert, he woke the other wizard with a soft brush of lips that did not take long at all to deepen when Gellert's eyes fluttered open.</p><p>An hour later the two finally made it down to a late breakfast.  When Bramble served them, he handed Blaise a letter.<br/>
"This came for Master Blaise earlier this morning," he said.<br/>
Blaise opened it as he thanked the elf distractedly.<br/>
"It's from Kereston," he told Gellert.<br/>
"As we don't have practice until later she invited us to lunch at her place.  She figured the parents wouldn't mind as they know hers and they'll be there."<br/>
He glanced back down at the letter.<br/>
"She says we can just go to practice together from there."</p><p>Gellert shrugged carelessly.<br/>
"I don't see why not if it's Alright with the parents as you say."<br/>
He smiled.<br/>
"I've already learned that going against their wishes probably isn't wise," he said with an amused chuckle.</p><p>As the two ate they began to talk over their next project.<br/>
"For once, it should be something just for us," Blaise said firmly.<br/>
"I was thinking of pendants that serve as portkeys but to a person rather than a place.  Specifically mine would go to you and yours to me where ever we happen to be at the time when activated.  In case anything happens we'll never be separated because we can always get to one another.  And if nothing happens, it's simply convenient."</p><p>"Excellent," Gellert said.<br/>
"I was thinking we could get custom pendants made," Blaise continued.<br/>
"Once we decide on the pattern I'll write Mag and see if she can arrange it.  I was thinking a spiderweb with the Hollows on it as a representation of both of us."<br/>
Gellert's eyes softened on Blaise's as he smiled.<br/>
"I like that a lot."</p><p>After breakfast they found the parents in the library.  Geo and Sabra agreed to the two going to Kereston's for lunch as long as they didn't go anywhere else.  Blaise wrote Kereston to confirm and she wrote back to say she'd even meet them at the Zabini's manor so the parents wouldn't fret about anything happening on the way to her place.<br/>
Blaise sighed as he showed Gellert the note.<br/>
"I'd like to say she's being silly, but...sadly she probably isn't."</p><p>Gellert laughed.<br/>
"Well no one can say your parents don't care."<br/>
Blaise mock cringed.<br/>
"So true.  They care in the most insane of ways."<br/>
"But isn't it said that all the best people are quite mad," Gellert asked with a wink.<br/>
Blaise chuckled.<br/>
"In that case, they're the absolute bloody best!"</p><p>The two went up stairs to get dressed for the day.  Once they had, Blaise sat down at his desk to write Mag about the pendant design they wanted for their person to person portkeys.  No longer his desk, he thought as he drew quill and parchment toward himself.  It was now their desk.  He was sharing the room with Gellert so everything in it belonged to both of them.  He was always a little surprised to discover how much he liked that.</p><p>Quickly he wrote Mag a description of the two pendants they needed and told her there was no price limit.  Calling for Bramble, he gave the elf the letter to see to having delivered, then closed the bedroom door again.<br/>
"I think we're alone now," he quipped with a slow lazy grin.<br/>
Quoting the song Kereston had provided for their shield practice put him unpleasantly in mind of Hogwarts and how rapidly the summer was likely to pass.  Better make the most of the weeks they had left, he told himself</p><p>"What ever shall we do with our time while we wait," he asked, pushing his chair away from the desk and glancing idly over at Gellert.<br/>
The blonde was lounging back on the bed, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling.<br/>
"Well...we could make a list of more items we can make to help in the good fight against this Voldemort creature," Gellert suggested.<br/>
"Unless you have other ideas," he added mischievously, rolling over onto his side to face Blaise, where he sat in the desk chair.</p><p>"I always have other ideas," Blaise assured.<br/>
"But we can get our list of ideas out of the way first, I suppose."<br/>
He drew another piece of parchment toward him and picked up the quill he'd used to write Mag.<br/>
"Were you thinking weapons," he asked, and pushing up into a sitting position on the bed, Gellert nodded.</p><p>"It would be interesting if we could make something to give the weaker fighters an edge.  You mentioned the Potter kid not being so skillful.  If his friends are no better, they could surely use a bit of help.""Sounds good," Blaise said, idly tapping the quill against the edge of the desk as he thought.<br/>
"Perhaps something like magical grenades?"</p><p>Gellert smiled.<br/>
"Brilliant!  Especially if we could cause one to expand and multiply into several when thrown. I was also thinking of a more subtle weapon concept in the form of a charmed item to wear and remove as needed.  It works by distracting an opponent when activated.  We won't want it to distract our allies so it will require a bit of tweaking I think."<br/>
"Still a brilliant concept, Blaise said, writing it down.<br/>
"A distraction should feel less like a direct attack so they'll think it's them with the problem rather than us causing it for them."<br/>
Gellert nodded, smiling happily.<br/>
"Exactly!"</p><p>"Well we've come up with two grand ideas," Blaise said, replacing the quill in its ornate stand on the corner of the desk.<br/>
"I feel we've earned a rest."<br/>
Rising from his chair he strolled languidly over to the bed, perching on the edge and running a hand up Gellert's lean muscular thigh.<br/>
"Indeed," Gellert agreed, shifting so that his legs, in their form fitting black pants, spread themselves suggestively.<br/>
"All work and no play is simply no fun at all," he gravely proclaimed.</p><p>With a low sound of agreement, Blaise bent toward him, running exploratory hands over Gellert's chest.  When Gellert rose up to kiss him, Blaise began to tug the blonde's shirt from where it was neatly tucked into the waistband of his pants.  Running his tongue suggestively across Gellert's bottom lip, he began to work at the top buttons of the shirt.  If he just got a few open, he could pull it over Gellert's head without messing about with the rest of them.  He wished Gellert had gotten some black silk pull-over shirts like Blaise's own, but the blonde had preferred the more formal button downs.</p><p>The sensual glide of Blaise's tongue over his bottom lip had Gellert catching his breath as his entire body went hot and liquid.  Snatching one of Blaise's hands from the buttons of his shirt, he placed it needily on the rapidly growing bulge between his legs.  As Blaise obligingly lightly squeezed and massaged him through his pants, Gellert arched back against the pile of pillows on which he'd been leaning, eyes rolling back as he moaned the other wizard's name.</p><p>With a curse of frustration, Blaise ripped the shirt off over Gellert's head and tossed it to the floor.  He ran heated lips and hands over Gellert's slender chest, unencumbered by any clothes to block his passage.  Already imagining how wonderful Gellert's length would feel sliding into his mouth, his hands dropped lower, prepared to open the blonde's pants.  Before he could indulge himself, however, the door burst open.<br/>
"Hi I was thinking we could...Oh Gods!  Gods, I think I could've gone forever without ever seeing that.  Please put your bloody clothes back on."</p><p>"It is called a shirt," Gellert retorted, squirming uncomfortably on the bed to glare over at Kereston who currently stood in the doorway looking horrified.<br/>
His erection was throbbing and nearly painful, yet with the little girl here, it certainly wasn't going to be satisfied any time soon.  As the rest of her offensive words sank in, he frowned.<br/>
"And what do you mean you could've gone forever without seeing that?  I am beautiful!"<br/>
"He really is," Blaise said, giving Gellert's naked chest a wistful look before sighing and reaching for the discarded shirt.</p><p>Kereston made a choking sound.<br/>
"No. You hardly have any hair on your chest...and it's so thin and it...you look like a girl!<br/>
"You're just jealous because Blaise and I are both more beautiful than you," Gellert told her.<br/>
"Hardly," Kereston said.<br/>
"I mean I guess Blaise is hot, but you...you're prettier than I am and I don't fancy girls."<br/>
She pointed at the shirt that Blaise had placed beside Gellert on the bed.<br/>
"put it back on," she begged.</p><p>Gellert made a face at her as he pulled the shirt over his head and began to close the top buttons once again.<br/>
"Trust me, no one wants to see you naked either.  You look like a little boy playing at being female," he accused.<br/>
"You have no lady curves."</p><p>"Yes I do," Kereston shot back, unimpressed with his insult.<br/>
Gellert rose up to tuck in his shirt.<br/>
He couldn't help but feel resentful that the overly talkative little blonde had interrupted them and then to add insult to injury she'd insulted him while...had she expressed interest in his Blaise?  Because he'd rather liked the little blonde as a new friend, he was deeply bothered by that possibility.</p><p>"Gods," Kereston complained.<br/>
"It's nearly noon, and as you'd agreed to have lunch, I hardly expected to be interrupting anything when Mrs. Zabini told me to go on up.  I thought the two of you would be reading or something."</p><p>"Well you were obviously wrong," Gellert shot back peevishly.<br/>
He rose from the bed.<br/>
"Lets go then."<br/>
He wasn't exactly in the mood anymore, but she was already here and the moment was already disrupted.</p><p>"Alright," Kereston said.<br/>
She smiled as her blue gray eyes sparkled.<br/>
"I have a surprise for Gellert."<br/>
At that, Gellert felt his annoyance toward the little blonde fading somewhat.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0043"><h2>43. The Road to Hell is Paved With Good Intentions...And McDonalds!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kereston stepped forward, catching each of their hands in hers, and apparating them with a crack.  They stood in an alley behind a large building and the sound of Muggle cars rushing by could be heard.<br/>
"This isn't your house," Blaise pointed out unnecessarily as Kereston dropped their hands.</p><p>"I know," she said, looking pleased.<br/>
"I did my former house proud and pulled a Slytherin just for Gellert.  There is no lunch at my house.  I just said that to get your parents to grant you guys permission to leave.  I thought Gellert should see what things have changed in Muggleland as it were and really Muggle places are probably the only safe ones to venture out into these days as Voldemort certainly won't be slumming here."</p><p>"Where is here," Gellert asked carefully.<br/>
"It's a very popular Muggle fast food place called McDonald's!  I thought it'd be somewhere fun to go just so you could get out of the house and it would give you a bit of a history lesson too...at least where food is concerned," Kereston concluded with a chuckle.</p><p>"What is fast food," Gellert asked, looking skeptical.<br/>
"It's just what it sounds like," Kereston explained.<br/>
"Food that can be made quickly for people with busy lives who are always on the go and don't have time to sit down and wait an hour for their food.  It's also food that is constructed to be eaten quickly with the hands so you don't need forks and such," Kereston explained.<br/>
"Come on."</p><p>She lead the way out of the alley and around to the front of the building.  It looked rather fancy with its golden arches, and Gellert was hopeful...or perhaps just hungry.  Once inside the style of the place wasn't nearly as impressive.  It was also distractingly full of people, most likely all of them Muggles.  Their children were quite loud and boisterous.  Gellert was shocked that parents allowed their children to behave so in a public place of business.  A look in Blaise's direction told him that the other wizard felt the same.  Blaise's aristocratic nose was turned up in distaste, and his ice blue eyes held a look of mild horror.</p><p>"I thought I'd treat you to my favorite thing to eat unless you'd like something else," Kereston said, pointing to a magical looking lit display listing all manner of confusing food options, none of which appeared particularly appetizing.<br/>
"Whatever you are having is fine I'm sure," Gellert said and Blaise nodded.<br/>
Both were trying to keep an open mind though the place was challenging them at every turn.  For her part, Kereston seemed unmoved by all the chaos around them.</p><p>Walking up to the counter she spoke to a bored looking youth who looked to be around their own age.  That thought made Gellert smile because the boy looked to be in his late teens as did Kereston, Blaise and now himself.  He, Gellert Grindelwald was in his late teens again, yet with the advantage of all the knowledge and experience he'd gathered over the years.  The thought was not displeasing, and eventually, in time, could even become empowering.  With Blaise at his side, when they were free to have adventures, who knew what could happen or what they could discover.</p><p>"Okay I've placed our order.  Now we can sit down," Kereston said, turning back to Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
"Do you fancy a table or a booth?"<br/>
The two wizards exchanged a glance.<br/>
"You decide," Gellert told Kereston.<br/>
She seemed an authority on the place, disturbing as that was.</p><p>"Alright then," she said and led them over to a corner booth near a window.<br/>
"I assume you and Blaise will want to sit beside one another?"<br/>
"Sure," Gellert said with another shrug.<br/>
He and Blaise slid into the booth and Kereston settled in across from them.</p><p>"It's just that the two of you always appear to be straining toward one another even when you aren't touching, so I didn't want you to impale yourselves accidentally on the table," she clarified with a giggle.<br/>
"Your concern for our well being is touching," Blaise drawled.<br/>
Before Gellert could form his own sarcastic comment to add to that of his Blaise's, the young man behind the counter shouted, "Number Thirty Four!"</p><p>"That'll be ours," Kereston said, and skipped to her feet.  Dashing to the side of where she had placed their order, she took a tray that waited for her on a ledge and hurried back to the table.  The food was unflatteringly presented in separate paper packets, which Gellert personally did not see as a good sign.<br/>
"We all got the same thing, so everyone just grab one of each," she instructed.<br/>
It was then that Gellert noticed the strange paper cups that held their drinks.</p><p>"Why is everything in paper," he complained.<br/>
"Isn't that a bit...shoddy?  Where are the dishes?"<br/>
"Fast food, remember?  No dishes makes things faster and many people take it to go so you can just throw the paper away when you're finished.  It's quite convenient really," Kereston explained.</p><p>Gellert shuddered.<br/>
"It's something."<br/>
Blaise chuckled.<br/>
"Too right."<br/>
"And the cups," Gellert forged on bravely.<br/>
"What is in the cups?"</p><p>"Strawberry milkshakes," Kereston said.<br/>
As she spoke, she pealed back the paper from a long cylinder and thrust it into her cup.<br/>
"Milkshakes existed before you were..."<br/>
She hesitated and glanced quickly around before continuing.<br/>
"Before you went away."</p><p>"Well I don't frequent Muggle establishments, so I'd not know," Gellert said peevishly.<br/>
In spite of his rising disgruntlement he managed to keep his voice low enough to only carry to the ears of those seated at the table.<br/>
"Well it's an ice cream that you can drink," Kereston told him.<br/>
"In this case, it's strawberry. You drink it like this," she said, putting the cylinder into her mouth and sucking on it.</p><p>"How vulgar," Gellert said, making a face of distaste.<br/>
"It is not," Kereston protested.<br/>
"It's a thick drink and won't work without a straw.  Just try it."</p><p>Gellert and Blaise imitated Kereston's motions, removing the paper from the cylinder and placing it into their cups.  Exchanging a fortifying glance they took their first drink of Muggle milkshake together.<br/>
"That is entirely too sweet and sticky, and where, pray tell, is the strawberry," Gellert complained.</p><p>"It's probably got a little real strawberry in there but it's mostly strawberry syrup," Kereston said with a sigh.<br/>
"Try your burger and fries," she suggested.<br/>
"My what," Gellert asked.<br/>
Kereston lifted one of the rounded packets and opened it to unveil what appeared to be a common sandwich.<br/>
"This is a hamburger, and no it isn't German before you ask.  It's ground beef that has been fried. It's a new way of preparing beef, or at least new for you, though burgers have been a thing, for around forty years. This one has pickles and onions on and cheese along with condiments," she said before taking a bite.<br/>
She gave a groan of pleasure and her face took on what Gellert felt was a very obscene expression.</p><p>Reaching down to the tray with her free hand, she lifted an open paper packet and stuck something that was long and thin into her mouth, biting down with a crunching sound.  Blaise and Gellert watched, transfixed, as she chewed and swallowed before speaking.<br/>
"These are chips, long thin ones though, very salty and delicious, and they're called French fries, but like with the hamburger, I don't think they're French."</p><p>"Then why are they called...Oh nevermind," Blaise said, shaking his head as he reached for another of the open packets of nonfrench fries.<br/>
With a resigned sigh, Gellert reached for them as well, and the first bite stuck in his throat.  Oily, salty, and dry!  In other words not at all appetizing!  Making a face he reached for the milkshake to wash down disgusting with only mildly distasteful.</p><p>"You don't like it," Kereston asked incredulously.<br/>
"Of course not," Gellert said, reaching in resignation for the sandwich hamburger thing.</p><p>"I do at least see why it's so fast to make," Blaise said.<br/>
"It tastes like fried paper.<br/>
Gellert gave him a pleased smile.<br/>
"Yes!  That's it. Salted burned paper!  You are brilliant."</p><p>Kereston sighed.<br/>
"No he isn't, because it's potato.<br/>
"No it isn't," Gellert shot back and Kereston scowled.<br/>
"Yes it is! Now eat your burger.  Gods I feel like I'm speaking to a five year old," she complained.</p><p>Gellert took a bite of the burger.  He was hungry now and actually hoped the sandwich would at least be eatable, but alas.  What could he expect from Muggles, after all?  Going above their capability in an attempt to make food far faster than they were truly able to.  Little Muggles always trying to rise above themselves with devastating results.  Unfortunately food was no exception.  They could even ruin that.  The burger thing was dry and tasteless with an odd unpleasant texture.</p><p>"You've got a good mind.  Why do you actually eat this rubbish," he asked Kereston, dumbfounded.<br/>
"That's so RUDE," Kereston said, eyes round with indignation.<br/>
"I bought you lunch, and thought you'd like to get out for a bit, and you are so RUDE!"</p><p>"I hope it didn't cost that much," Blaise said dryly.<br/>
"Because if it did...You're bloody insane."</p><p>"It didn't cost much at all, but that's beside the point,' Kereston said, shooting a glare in his direction before returning her attention to Gellert.<br/>
"I was trying to do something nice for you!"</p><p>"Well if you had indeed bought me food, something palatable, I would be grateful," Gellert replied, glancing down in distaste at the Muggle excuse for food in front of him.<br/>
"Can't you just give me something to eat and then I will thank you from the bottom of my heart," he asked plaintively and Kereston heaved an exasperated sigh.<br/>
"My parents work and so there is no food prepared at my place.  I certainly don't cook," she said, making a face.<br/>
"If I take you back to yours so Bramble can make you something, Sabra and Geo will find out that I lied to them and you know there will be drama."</p><p>She sighed, glancing around the busy room.<br/>
"What about Chinese food?  There is a Chinese restaurant down the block and it isn't fast food. There are dishes. Will you be good and eat it if I take you there?"<br/>
"Hopefully," Gellert told her with a grin.</p><p>"We'll have to walk," she warned, standing and scooping her burger up to take along.<br/>
"That's fine," Gellert said.<br/>
"I look forward to having a look around at the outside world."<br/>
Kereston smiled and nodded.<br/>
"I thought you would.  That's why I brought you out."<br/>
"And I appreciate the gesture, but this...it's as if you're trying to poison me," Gellert proclaimed with a shudder.<br/>
"Yeah," Blaise quipped.<br/>
"Leave the poisoning to my mum, won't you?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0044"><h2>44. Memories Of China</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As Kereston led the way down the street, Gellert's head turned this way and that, his eyes trying to take in all they could.  Though he'd had a taste of the outside world when Blaise's parents had taken him clothes shopping, it was a taste of the wizarding world.  Now they were dead center in the midst of Muggle London, or at least so it seemed to him.  Loud smelly cars were everywhere.  They seemed to have gotten faster over the past fifty years and most certainly more plentiful.</p><p>"Why are there so many," he asked, gesturing with a frown at the busy road, then to the constant clusters of Muggles poring in and out of the shops and restaurants lining the street.<br/>
"Because they breed like bloody rabbits," Kereston informed him.<br/>
"And with their morality or religion or something dying, they don't even need to be married to uphold their reputations anymore," Blaise added.<br/>
"So there are apparently millions of brats born out of wedlock yearly."</p><p>Millions?"<br/>
Gellert felt his eyes widening.  Millions being born yearly was difficult to grasp in general but out of wedlock?<br/>
"Disgusting isn't it," Blaise said, making a face.</p><p>"That's why your plan for wizard domination would never work today," Kereston told Gellert.<br/>
"Honestly that's sort of part of the reason I wanted you to see how things are now.  I know you aren't going to mess about with that at present, but even after Voldemort's gone, it just wouldn't work now.  They've got numbers on their side...as in droves!  And trust me there are more crowded places than this.  Their technology has grown in leaps and bounds as well, and they have weapons of mass destruction that even exceed those they used in World War II.  It's pretty insane how blood thirsty they are.  Even if they do need to be stopped, I don't think we can do it."</p><p>To say the least, Gellert was stunned. He had no idea what to say...or even how to fully comprehend what she was telling him.  At least the blood thirsty aspect of Muggles was nothing new and that bit wasn't at all surprising.  He'd always felt that some dark force had stopped him from bringing wizarding kind to power fifty years ago.  They could've curved the Muggles and now...if Kereston was right, now it would be impossible or at least extremely difficult and perhaps even dangerous to an undesirable degree.</p><p>"There is a bright side for you, though," Kereston said cheerfully.<br/>
"At least the gay thing is acceptable now.  So you and Blaise aren't illegal or anything."</p><p>Considering what he was imprisoned for, Gellert simply hadn't thought of his relationship with Blaise as a true concern yet, but he supposed that was good to know.<br/>
"When did that happen?"<br/>
Kereston shrugged.<br/>
"Some time in the fifties or sixties," she said vaguely.<br/>
"Anyway the point is it's legal now, so there's a bright side for you."</p><p>"Why isn't it illegal to eat that garbage," he complained, trying to snatch at the burger in her hand as she moved to take another bite.<br/>
"Throw that thing away."</p><p>Kereston skipped nimbly out of reach.<br/>
"It's yummy! Leave me alone."</p><p> </p><p>"Do or she'll keep talking with her mouth full," Blaise said with a shudder.</p><p>"Here it is," Kereston said, turning toward a smallish building on their right.<br/>
She shoved the last bit of the disgusting burger thing into her mouth as she led them up to the door.</p><p>"Memories of China," Gellert read the restaurant's name.<br/>
"I'm bloody hungry," he grumbled.<br/>
"There had better be food in there and not just memories of it."<br/>
The door suddenly burst open then, almost knocking the three of them over.<br/>
"Damned kids," an old man grumbled as he pushed past them.<br/>
"Get out of the way and stop your loitering!"</p><p>Gellert was torn between a desire to hex the old codger and basking in the oddly gratifying strangeness of being called a kid.  As the old man headed off down the street, Kereston caught the restaurant door as it swung closed behind him.  Food smells wafted out with the breeze caused by the opening door and Gellert's stomach gave a hungry rumble.</p><p>The place was decorated with oriental motifs to which he paid little mind.  A glance around at the tables of diners showed him that the place at least used real dishes which had to be a good sign.  The atmosphere was far better than that of the McDonald's place.  People spoke quietly as they enjoyed their meals, and there were far fewer children.  They were greeted and seated by a polite Chinese man of middle age who presented each of them with a book that listed all the restaurant offered.  It even had pictures.</p><p>Kereston ordered them a pot of tea before she began flipping through the book in front of her.<br/>
"Have either of you had Chinese food before," she asked without looking up.<br/>
"Never,"Gellert said.<br/>
"Same here," Blaise agreed.<br/>
"Well don't worry.  As you can see they don't serve burgers," Kereston said dryly.</p><p>"So...what are you planning to eat so that I might avoid it," Gellert asked looking skeptically up from the book of food options to regard Kereston.<br/>
"I already ate my McDonald's so I probably won't eat here," Kereston said thoughtfully.<br/>
Then as his insult registered she scowled.<br/>
"You're a git."</p><p>"Though the word does begin with a G, the one I believe you're after is GOD," Gellert enunciated carefully, giving her a smirk.<br/>
"Great God if you like," he offered generously.<br/>
Blaise gave a slow lazy grin that turned into a low chuckle.<br/>
"That is what I call him... you know...during the throws of..."<br/>
"Oh do shut up, both of you," Kereston snapped.<br/>
"And figure out what you're going to order before I change my mind about buying you lunch."</p><p>"I think sweet and sour pork sounds interesting," Gellert said and Blaise nodded.<br/>
"Very well.  I'll try that too."<br/>
"Good," Kereston said.<br/>
"Thank you."<br/>
When the waiter who had seated them returned with the pot of tea, Kereston gave him the order.<br/>
"Only two," he asked in thickly accented English.<br/>
Kereston nodded a little apologetically.<br/>
"Sorry I already ate."<br/>
"I take the menus then," he said, and when she nodded he scooped up the three books and hurried away.</p><p>"If the two of you don't like the food here, you'll just starve if I don't decide to force feed you," Kereston said darkly.<br/>
"I can't believe I thought you'd appreciate something nice," she added, glaring balefully at Gellert.<br/>
He smirked.<br/>
"When I receive something nice, I promise I will appreciate it."<br/>
She kicked him hard under the table and he laughed as he tried unsuccessfully to dodge aside.</p><p>Idly he wondered if this was how siblings behaved.  Like Blaise he was an only child.<br/>
"Do you have siblings," he asked Kereston and she shook her head.<br/>
"We're all only children, then," he said, feeling an odd sense of comrodery at that.<br/>
"Interesting," she said, the annoyed look fading from her face to be replaced with a thoughtful one.<br/>
"Severus, Mag, Millie and Wolfgang are as well, actually."<br/>
"It's the onlys club," Blaise said, giving his slow lazy smile.</p><p>The food arrived then and Gellert was quite pleased with the pork as well as the rice.  It was unlike anything he'd eaten before.</p><p>"Perhaps we should ask Bramble to learn how to cook some Chinese dishes for us," Blaise commented, obviously pleased with the food as well.<br/>
"So long as you don't tell him where you had Chinese food today," Kereston reminded firmly.<br/>
"Of course not," Blaise assured.<br/>
"I grew up learning to keep secrets, remember?  This is hardly the biggest one I've had to keep under wraps."</p><p>Kereston sighed.<br/>
"Isn't it depressing that we live in such a time that slipping out to lunch has to be a secret," she asked sadly.</p><p>Gellert grinned as he found himself recalling an old Chinese proverb.<br/>
"Well the good folk of China would merely say that we live in...interesting times."</p><p>Interesting times indeed.  Never would he have pictured himself dining in a Muggle restaurant or being in love with another man.  The thought jarred him and had him forgetting the fork of rice in his hand as he gaped at Blaise.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0045"><h2>45. Where your last thought ends, my next begins always</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Thank you for a very good lunch," Gellert told Kereston as the three walked out of the Chinese restaurant.<br/>
"It was very kind of you.  If only you had chosen this place first and skipped the trash can that calls itself McDonalds."</p><p>Kereston sighed.<br/>
"You were doing so nicely...with the thanking me for lunch...then you had to keep talking."  Gellert laughed merrily.<br/>
"Do stop defending your self-destructive choices."<br/>
Kereston rolled her eyes and sighed.<br/>
"You're so full of it," she complained.<br/>
"We've got to go back to the alley behind McDonalds so I can apparate us to the edge of Hogwarts grounds."</p><p>As they walked, Gellert continued to stare about him, mind struggling to grasp how many more Muggles there were now.<br/>
"It isn't some sort of holiday where they're all out or anything," he asked hopefully and Kereston shook her head.<br/>
"This is why I don't go out into Muggle London...It's enough to make you want a shower just from walking out in it," Blaise complained.<br/>
Gellert chuckled.<br/>
"So true."</p><p>As he smiled at Blaise, it struck him once again as a shock that he loved another person in the way he loved himself...with as much desire as he'd had in his heart when he had pursued the Elder wand.  Gellert liked many people, but love was never a word he'd applied to another living soul even in his own mind until now.</p><p> </p><p>"Here we are,"  Kereston said, turning toward the golden arches that now made Gellert feel mildly ill.  Once they were around the building and in the Alley, they apparated to the edge of Hogwarts grounds.  They were the first into the room of requirement.  As it often was for their practice sessions, the room was large with only a few chairs lined up near the door against the wall and a small table on which to deposit personal belongings.</p><p>"Let's practice blocking hexes," Gellert suggested.<br/>
"As a battle can be chaotic, we'll all aim hexes at one another randomly to create more of a realistic scene."<br/>
The three attacked and blocked steadily for nearly ten minutes before Flitwick joined them.  Without breaking the flow, he jumped in, attacking and blocking fiercely.  Eventually Kereston dropped out, flopping to her back on the floor with a sigh.<br/>
"I'm dead...I'll rest for a few minutes then resurrect myself," she declared.</p><p>Eventually Mag and Severus joined them and at last Blaise's family with Wolfgang and Millicent.<br/>
"Did we get the building," Blaise asked, wand whipping to the left as he threw a fire hex at Gellert's hair then to the right as he blocked a jinx from Filius.<br/>
Gellert spared a curious glance for Geo and Wolfgang as he blocked the fire hex and sent it back at Blaise.  Rather than blocking the hex, Blaise sent it past him at Flitwick with an easy flick of his wrist.</p><p>The way Blaise dueled was even arousing.  Gellert wanted very much to...And Geo nearly surprised him with a stunner.  Mental note to self, Gellert thought as he easily blocked it.  Do not think about kissing Blaise breathless while bloody practice dueling.<br/>
"Yes it's all ours now," Geo replied to his son as he threw a hex at Kereston that knocked the little blonde to the ground.</p><p>"Blast," Kereston swore.<br/>
She had been distracted by dueling Millicent and Severus at once and hadn't seen Geo throwing the spell that got her.</p><p> </p><p>As soon as they returned home after practice, Blaise headed for the stairs that lead up to their bedroom.<br/>
"Come on, Gel.  Lets get a shower.  I feel disgusting, and without even a fun reason," he complained.<br/>
"Not something your parents need to hear," Geo complained.<br/>
"I'd like to speak to Gellert for a moment, then I'll send him right up, I promise."</p><p>"Why," Blaise asked, pausing to frown over his shoulder at his dad.<br/>
He wasn't about to leave Gellert alone to be harassed by his father as his mum had done when she'd heard they were an item.  Had he known she planned to interrogate him, Blaise would've insisted on remaining by Gellert's side.  It appeared that his parents were being supportive, but this sudden request to speak to Gellert alone had him a little up in arms.</p><p>"It might be about a surprise for you...So get to that shower and leave us to it," Geo said.<br/>
Gellert nodded at Blaise as if to say it was alright, so Blaise shrugged and continued up stairs to his shower with only mild reservations.</p><p>"I was hoping you could help us out with Blaise," Geo said.<br/>
Gellert felt his brows coming up in a silent question, but otherwise remained silent, waiting for the other man to explain.<br/>
"It's just that even though Blaise is now required to attend Hogwarts for his final year, we're still concerned that he'll try to sneak out to be with you and in doing so draw unwanted attention to both of you.  We need you to encourage him not to take such risks.  In exchange we're offering you enough money to travel comfortably for two years doing anything you like.  You can travel and see the world together for a few years without even needing to think about earning your own money.  He'll listen to you.  Your words will always carry more weight with him than ours."</p><p>Gellert couldn't help but feel flattered by that. Still while negotiating, he couldn't let it show too much.<br/>
"That's a lot of money," Gellert warned.<br/>
"We plan to travel extensively and live well, you know."  Geo laughed.<br/>
"Yes Sabra and I assumed as much."</p><p>Gellert made a show of pretending to think.  He only pretended for show because he knew there was basically no choice.  Of course the two of them didn't want to separate, but without very good reason, he didn't wish to put anyone at risk or to displease Blaise's parents.  At this point they accepted him and he found himself not wanting to ruin that.</p><p>"Very well.  I accept in both of our names," he told Geo with a cheerful smile.<br/>
"Good boy," Geo said, clapping him on the back.<br/>
"Now go on and get that shower."<br/>
Gellert nodded and hurried upstairs to the bedroom he and Blaise shared.  He found Blaise's clothes in a pile in the middle of the floor and he could hear the shower running in their bathroom.  It adjoined the bedroom and the door was open ajar, steam streaming out invitingly toward Gellert.  He wasted no time in adding his own clothes to the pile.</p><p>When he joined Blaise under the warm spray, the other wizard was languorously washing his short dark hair.  His long lean body looked so inviting, that Gellert found himself going straight for the pre-dinner snack between Blaise's muscular thighs that he found himself very much in need of.</p><p>Blaise gave a groan as Gellert's tongue ran slowly down his length.<br/>
"What did he want," he asked, tone only half interested.<br/>
"Ummmm...Aren't you interested in what I want," Gellert teased, drawing the head of Blaise's erection greedily into his mouth.<br/>
Once again he found himself relishing the very shape of Blaise's beautiful erection.</p><p>Blaise's hips thrust eagerly forward as he gave another groan.<br/>
"Gods, Gellert.  You are wonderful."<br/>
Slowly Gellert drew Blaise's full length into his mouth then slid it back out slowly.</p><p>"He has offered us a few good years of travel money if we behave during this next school year.  As we have no true choice, I accepted in both of our names."<br/>
"Bloody sellout," Blaise exclaimed.<br/>
His body didn't care overly much, though, because his hips arched demandingly forward again, his erection begging for Gellert's attention.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0046"><h2>46. He'll Kill His Pet With No Emotion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, they had to wake earlier than usual.  For the next stage of the group portkey amulets, they needed to visit the building in Norway that Wolfgang had taken Geo to buy the previous day.  The amulets had to be linked to the building to recognize the location to port everyone there.  The entire family went including Bramble so that he could apparate them.  Elves did far smoother apparations with long distance travel.</p><p>Blaise thought it may be more difficult to work with the three of them looking on, but once he and Gellert got started, he nearly forgot that anyone else was present.  All of his focus went into the magic.  It was, in its way baffling how rapidly he'd grown accustom to working with Gellert.  It was as though their minds were connected once they were in the zone.  And though it didn't mathematically add up when the two combined their efforts the power was nearly six times the strength it would have been were he to have combined efforts with anyone else.  He and Gellert had spoken of that last night in bed as they were drifting off to sleep, and came to the mutual conclusion that it was a result of their magical styles being so compatible.  Both knew how rare it was, and for Blaise it made their relationship all the more thrilling.  To connect with someone so deeply on all levels when he rarely connected with anyone on any level was...a form of magic in itself.</p><p>After all the amulets were connected to the building, they apparated to the great Hall of Hogwarts.<br/>
"We need to furnish the place, and install a heating system," Sabra said, thinking aloud as they sat down to eat a quick breakfast.<br/>
"When Autumn hits it'll be freezing up there."<br/>
Geo nodded.<br/>
"We'll attend to that later while the boys are working on whatever project they've got going next."</p><p>As they were a bit late, everyone else was nearly finished with their breakfast.<br/>
"I have your pendants," Mag told Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
"My goblin jeweler is fast."<br/>
"Indeed," Blaise said, giving a pleased smile.<br/>
"Give me a total and I'll have the money to you by the end of the day."<br/>
The amount Mag quoted was quite reasonable and Blaise decided to use her jeweler again if they needed custom designed items for anything else.</p><p>Reaching across the table, Mag handed Blaise a soft black velvet pouch that clinked when it fell against his palm.  It had a solid weight to it.</p><p>"Thank you," he told Mag.<br/>
"No worries.  You both are doing a lot to help and we all pull our own weight where we can.  I think we're all doing great...and we'll get through this."</p><p>Blaise opened the pouch eagerly to find two wonderfully crafted gleaming solid silver pendants.  Just as he'd requested the hollows rested upon a spider web and it was one solid melded piece.  Each pendant was around forty millimeters, not too large or too small.  All in all a striking piece, and it was a grand symbol of he and Gellert  combined.  Gellert leaned over to look at the pendants in Blaise's hand, one elegant finger extending to run lightly across the shiny silver surface of one before picking it up.</p><p>"I like the design a lot," he said.<br/>
The parents gathered close to have a look and complimented Mag's jeweler as well.<br/>
"That's a sweet symbol of the two of you," Sabra said, giving Blaise and Gellert an oddly sappy smile<br/>
"It's our latest project, the one we shall be working on while you and Dad deal with making our new building livable."<br/>
Blaise hoped they wouldn't have to use their new hideout, but it was a comfort knowing it was there.</p><p> </p><p>"Before we begin practice in the Room of Requirement today, we need to connect everyone to their amulet," Gellert told their little group.<br/>
"Ooh they're done already," Kereston asked excitedly, and Gellert nodded.<br/>
Today Kereston had the spider in her lap again and was feeding him toast on which he was happily crunching.<br/>
"Ah I was wondering where he was," Gellert said, looking with mild interest at the baby acromantula.<br/>
"He got bored at home and wanted to come along with me today...yes he did," Kereston crooned, cuddling the spider with the hand that wasn't feeding him.</p><p>"Did you ever have a pet," Kereston asked, looking at Gellert with sudden curiosity.<br/>
Gellert sighed, shrugging.<br/>
"I'm not so much of a pet person," he explained.<br/>
"They seem to be for people who need affection and entertainment.  I give myself both of those in plenty so to my mind, a pet is just an extra burden to waste time caring for."</p><p>Blaise nodded eagerly, turning to give Gellert a warm smile.<br/>
"So true!  I simply never understood the bloody point."<br/>
"If the pet can serve you, it can work for a bit," Gellert expounded, returning Blaise's smile companionably.<br/>
"I was gifted a Chupa Cabra once while I was briefly imprisoned and I was able to set it up to kill an enemy by utilizing its natural instincts.  I had to set it free when it required too much coddling though.  That sort of thing is so needlessly distracting."</p><p>"Set it free," Kereston asked.<br/>
"What ever did you do with it?  How did you keep it from killing others once it was free?"<br/>
Gellert tilted his head thoughtfully.<br/>
"Hm...I never considered that possibility, honestly.  In my defense I was very distracted with escaping at the time, though.  I set it free out the window of a flying carriage...I wonder...are those still used?"<br/>
"Flying carriages? Yes for certain things, they are," Sabra replied, nodding.</p><p> </p><p>"You...Out the carriage bloody window," Kereston nearly squawked.<br/>
"It doesn't have bloody wings, Gellert!  You probably killed it!"<br/>
Gellert shrugged.<br/>
"Probably.  But it was just a dumb beast, and I thought you were concerned about it killing other people...I suppose I made sure that didn't happen."</p><p> </p><p>"Oh my god you are so..."  Kereston sputtered.<br/>
"It's okay, Reynaldo," she said, suddenly clutching the acromantula to her chest.<br/>
"He won't hurt you, no he won't."<br/>
Gellert laughed.<br/>
"Why would I?  Besides, at least he'll be able to talk some day so he's more useful.  You were wise to choose such a pet," he said approvingly."Oh my gods there is something wrong with you," Kereston muttered in disgust.<br/>
"What?  For approving of your pet," Gellert asked, feigning confusion that was only belied by the laughing smirk in his blue eyes.<br/>
"No.  For killing yours," Kereston replied darkly. </p><p>"Oh gods, Kereston," Blaise said with an impatient roll of his eyes.<br/>
"Get over it, already.  It wasn't that smart or anything."<br/>
"That's not the point," Kereston hissed then heaved a sigh.<br/>
"Never mind.  Both of you are apparently soulless so you're not going to get it."<br/>
Gellert smiled cheerfully.<br/>
"Good, then, now can we move on?"<br/>
"Lets get everyone linked to their portkey pendants so we can get to practice, shall we," Sabra said, apparently unmoved by the conversation.</p><p>"We'll need a small knife and some bandages," Blaise said, looking toward Severus.<br/>
He assumed the potions master could get the items from the hospital wing.<br/>
"The bandages aren't necessary," Gellert said.<br/>
"I can heal the cuts with no problem."<br/>
"You can heal," Blaise asked, impressed.<br/>
Gellert shrugged modestly.<br/>
"A bit."</p><p>"Well that's one thing we finally don't have in common, because I don't think I have a propensity for the healing arts," Blaise said.<br/>
"It's all in how you look at it and what magic you apply.  I bet I could show you a few tricks that you'd be able to manage easily," Gellert encouraged.<br/>
Blaise shrugged.<br/>
"Sure I could try. Never know when it'd come in useful these days."</p><p>Even as he spoke the words, Blaise tried hard not to picture any of his few friends or family bleeding out in some Death Eater attack.<br/>
Gellert nodded.<br/>
"For sure."</p><p>"There will be cuts," Mag asked looking vaguely ill at the thought.<br/>
"Tiny ones," Blaise assured.<br/>
"We need to link each person to their portkey with blood to make it more personal.  We cant have anyone else using them, after all."<br/>
"I have a spell for that," Severus said.<br/>
"So there won't be a need for the knife either.  I can show you the spell or work it for you while the two of you do the rest, whatever is easier," he said.</p><p>"The spell sounds interesting, so do show us," Gellert said and Blaise nodded eagerly.<br/>
"You can use it to make a small shallow cut or several all over a person's body,"Severus explained."You can use it to cause pain and discomfort or by deepening the cuts, to kill."<br/>
"Beautiful," Gellert said, approval heavy in his voice.<br/>
"It is called Sectumsempra," Severus said, then drew a large crystal quartz and black obsidian wand from his pocket and silently demonstrated the gesture without pointing it at anyone.  The wand slashed through the air and white light emerged briefly.</p><p>"Sweet," Millicent breathed, looking at Snape in reluctant approval.<br/>
Gellert nodded in agreement.  Never before was he surrounded by so many talented wizards.  That was why they didn't really need a leader, he supposed.  True talented minds may enjoy working together in groups but rarely did they require leading.  Part of him found this disconcerting, but most of him found it gratifying and stimulating to have others around who could truly understand and appreciate him on a level at least in the vicinity of equality...Because truly Blaise was the only wizard seated at the table he could ever think of as an actual equal to his own greatness.</p><p>"We may as well stay here at the table to get this linking done, so everyone can be comfortable," Blaise said.<br/>
"Gellert and I will start by linking our own so we can practice the Sectumsempra spell on ourselves before using it on anyone else."</p><p>Both found the cutting spell easy to perform and the linking went quickly.  A single drop of blood on each person's pendant combined with a linking charm connected it to the owner and thus to the new hideaway.  Within an hour everyone's pendant was finished.<br/>
"Lets try them out," Blaise suggested.<br/>
"If one person activates them they should take all of us to the new hideaway.<br/>
"I'll do it," Albus Dumbledore offered.<br/>
"I'm excited to see the new place.  Thank you once again for acquiring it for us," he said, nodding to Blaise's parents with an appreciative smile.<br/>
He touched his pendant and murmured the activation spell that Gellert had set it to respond to.<br/>
The headmaster vanished and then Blaise felt himself falling forward.  The process took less than three seconds.  When he looked around he stood in a high ceilinged stone room surrounded by everyone else in their little group with Gellert at his side.</p><p>"Very smooth work," Albus congratulated.<br/>
"Thank you both again for all your help.  Mr. Grindelwald, you are doing much to repay your debt to society," he added approvingly.<br/>
Once more the German wizard found himself appreciating the fitting name Severus's owl had given the Hogwarts headmaster of Dumblefuck.</p><p>"Wonderful," Gellert replied, tone dripping with obvious sarcasm.<br/>
"Because that is always what I've set out to do...only society hasn't always been as helpful to me."<br/>
"Society is a little bastard," Geo told Gellert with a wink and a grin.<br/>
Gellert grinned back.  Indeed the Zabinis were his type of family.  Granted until now he'd never realized that he particularly wanted a family, but now it felt very right.</p><p>The group went their own separate ways then, deciding to consider Severus's Sectumsempra the defensive lesson for the day as so much had already gotten done.  For his part, Blaise was glad to have more of the day free to work on he and Gellert's personal portkey pendants that would lead directly to one another.  The concept would work much like the portkeys to the group hideaway, including the drops of blood to link them to their pendants, but these would link to a person rather than a place and it would require both of their blood on both pendants, though in a different order of layering from the other.</p><p>Once back home and upstairs in their room, the two sat side by side on the bed with their new pendants in their hands.  It seemed the bed was their work space as they always gravitated there when making their enchanted items.  That was logical, Blaise supposed.  The bed was comfortable and one should be comfortable when working intense magic.  Discovering the various ways to use enchantments for creating magical items had its own form of stimulation...and the bed made it easy to flow from one form of pleasure to the other.</p><p>The sight of the hollows on the spiderweb looked impressive and...just right, Blaise thought.  The linking spell combined with a drop of each of their blood would transport one directly to the other when activated as well as ensuring it would not work for anyone else.  Though the layering spells for this connection were intricate, it only took them a bit over an hour as they worked on both pendants together, effectively speeding up the process.</p><p>"It makes me feel a minuscule bit better about separating when the school term begins," Blaise said.<br/>
"At least now if anything goes South we can get to one another no matter what."<br/>
One hand still touching the new spiderweb and hollows pendant that now hung on the chain with his spider he drew Gellert close for a kiss.  They still had a bit of time before lunch.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0047"><h2>47. I'm crazy for you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The rest of the summer passed far too quickly for Blaise and Gellert's liking.  What with all the defense practice with their group and moving from one project to the next in their own line of enchanted weapons efforts, it didn't feel as if they had nearly enough time to just be together.  Blaise longed to wander the world with Gellert and explore those places known for their magical history but that wouldn't happen until Voldemort was dead.</p><p>When it was time for Blaise to shop for school supplies, his parents allowed him to go with a group of friends and take Gellert along, which was at least something.  They made a day of it, stopping for lunch and browsing some of the shops in Knockturn alley after the school shopping was done.  Their group consisted of Blaise, Gellert, Millicent, Wolfgang and Kereston.  Of the lot Blaise was the only one returning to Hogwarts in the fall because Millicent was getting married instead.</p><p>"We should have a party and all get smashed before you return to Hogwarts, Blaise," Kereston said.<br/>
"Sounds brilliant," Blaise agreed.<br/>
Gellert blinked slowly.  He'd never...gotten smashed.  Of course he'd had drinks, but never that many at a time.  When he was younger, he'd been too driven to bother and when he was a bit older, he was too busy fighting for wizarding freedom and in such situations, getting needlessly drunk simply wasn't safe.</p><p>"Blaise!  Who's your friend?"<br/>
The squeal came from behind them and off to the right.  Gellert slowly turned his head to see a common looking teen girl approaching.<br/>
"Millie, I got your wedding invite and I'm soooo excited!"</p><p>"Hi, Pansy.  Call me Millie again and I crush your fucking skull," Millicent said sweetly.<br/>
"Not to mention rescinding your wedding invitation," Gellert added with a smirk.<br/>
Millicent gave him an appreciative smile.<br/>
"Yeah...That too."<br/>
Over the past few weeks, Gellert had learned to tolerate Millicent and Wolfgang a bit more.  On certain days, he almost liked them.  He still couldn't find it within himself to forgive their initial unnecessarily disrespectful treatment of him, though.</p><p>"Sorry, Millie...Ur...Millicent!  Sorry!  It's nice to see you again, Wolfgang.  You're looking handsome as ever.  Millicent is a very lucky witch.  Kereston, how is your internship going at the Ministry?"</p><p>Kereston didn't look particularly enthused to see Pansy, Gellert noted, but her reply was polite.<br/>
"It's going well enough.  Until later in the year it's only part time, and desk work, but one can learn a lot from paperwork."</p><p>Pansy nodded before turning back to Blaise.<br/>
"Now...As I asked earlier...Who's your friend, Blaise?"<br/>
"How do you know he's my friend and not Wolfgang's or Millicent's or Kereston's," Blaise asked, blue eyes flickering with mild genuine curiosity.<br/>
Gellert thought that was a good question.  Why had this Pansy person singled he and Blaise out as friends in particular when the group was obviously together?  And why on earth had her parents named her Pansy anyway?  Who wanted to be a Pansy, after all?</p><p>"I...well I assumed...because the two of you were walking close enough together to almost touch, so I just assumed he was with you."<br/>
"Very observant," Gellert said with a nod.<br/>
That made sense.</p><p>"His name is Gellert.  He's a friend of the family, come to visit from Germany," Blaise said, smoothly spouting the story his parents had come up with for anyone who happened to see Gellert out with the family and ask any questions.<br/>
"Like Grindelwald," Pansy said with a giggle.<br/>
Gellert tossed his blonde curls over one shoulder.<br/>
"I'm far better."</p><p>"Well do you have a date yet for Millicent's wedding," she asked.<br/>
Though Gellert wore an amused smirk, Blaise felt a surge of possessiveness welling up in his chest.<br/>
"In fact he does," he said, and leaned to give Gellert a quick kiss on the lips.<br/>
When Gellert's hand came up to lightly curl around the back of Blaise's neck, he nearly deepened it, but knew his parents wouldn't consider this a proper time to make a spectacle of themselves.  They wanted less, not more attention drawn to the family until Voldemort was dead and he did understand that.</p><p>"Aren't you still dating Malfoy then," Blaise asked and Pansy shook her head, face shadowing.<br/>
"I want as little to do with him as possible."<br/>
"We were just going to stop in at Florean Fortescue's for some ice cream before heading home for the day.  Why don't you come with us and spill the details," Millicent invited.<br/>
"There really isn't anything to say," Pansy said, lips pursing in a slight frown.<br/>
"But I can still come along for ice cream if you like."</p><p>"Oh come on, Pansy," Blaise said, giving her an annoyed frown that bordered on impatient.<br/>
"You're always wanting to know the good gossip and now you've got some you won't spill?"<br/>
Pansy let out an explosive sigh.<br/>
"I just don't agree with his choices of late.  That's all."<br/>
"Oh fuck," Millicent groaned.<br/>
"He's one of Voldemort's isn't he?"<br/>
Pansy bit her lip and nodded, then glanced carefully around at the group.<br/>
"And...none of you are," she asked carefully.<br/>
"Fuck no," Millicent said firmly and Pansy smiled.<br/>
"Okay...Lets go get ice cream."</p><p>When they arrived at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlor Blaise ordered a chocolate cherry swirl ice cream cone and Gellert got the same.  They went to sit at a long table in the corner while everyone else placed their orders.<br/>
"So what's the deal with this Pansy person," Gellert asked Blaise around a mouth full of ice cream.<br/>
Gellert had gotten a little chocolate smudge on the corner of his mouth and though Blaise honestly planned to avoid drawing public attention to them, he couldn't resist leaning toward him to lick it off.</p><p>Gellert turned his head and claimed Blaise's mouth in a long kiss.  Their tongues were cold and flavored like the ice cream they had been eating which was somehow extremely erotic.  Blaise was harder than a rock in a matter of seconds and contemplating dragging Gellert into the bathroom so they could sort that...situation when Millicent and Wolfgang arrived at the table, each holding a large bowl of ice cream piled high with toppings.</p><p>Gellert found himself oddly fascinated with the insane amount of ice cream and toppings that Millicent and Wolfgang planned to ingest.<br/>
"What about her," Blaise asked, and for a moment, Gellert wasn't sure what the other wizard was talking about.<br/>
"What?"<br/>
Blaise sighed.<br/>
"You asked about Pansy, Love."</p><p>That simple word had Gellert's eyes flying to lock with Blaise's.  Love...It sounded very good on Blaise's lips when directed at him.<br/>
"Oh...I was just wondering what she's about and most importantly why her parents hated her enough to make her life more difficult by naming her something as atrocious as Pansy!  Tell me it's at least short for pansimonium or something."</p><p>Millicent nearly snorted ice cream up her nose.<br/>
"You're a dumb ass," she told Gellert around a laugh.<br/>
"And you are a troll," Gellert shot back.<br/>
As soon as the words left his mouth Gellert regretted them.  He'd wanted to call her a troll so many times over the past two months, but he hadn't dared.  She and her man held the strings to his freedom, after all.  But at last the inevitable had happened and he was provoked into speaking his true opinion.  He was opening his mouth to at least attempt some sort of vague apology but Millicent merely kicked him under the table.<br/>
"Prick," she said casually, and continued eating her ice cream.</p><p>"Pansy is okay, and probably trustworthy enough but right now I'm paranoid of everyone," Blaise said.<br/>
"I mean at this point we can't take any chances, and no her name isn't short for anything."<br/>
He chuckled.</p><p>Just then Kereston and Pansy joined them at the table, holding far smaller bowls of ice cream than Millicent and Wolfgang.<br/>
"So Gellert, not Grindelwald...What brought you to our part of the world from Germany," Pansy asked with a teasing smile.<br/>
"Blaise," Gellert returned simply.<br/>
"Now it's my turn.  Why do your parents hate you?"<br/>
Pansy blinked.<br/>
"What?  They don't hate me."<br/>
She scowled.<br/>
"So they actually believe Pansy to be a nice name then," Gellert asked.</p><p>"Don't worry, he was shitty to me when I tried to be nice and take him to McDonald's," Kereston told Pansy.<br/>
"I was not," Gellert shot back.<br/>
"You did take me to McDonald's, after all."<br/>
"What ever is McDonald's," Pansy asked.<br/>
"You don't want to know, trust me," Gellert said firmly.</p><p>When they got back home, Bramble presented Gellert with a package that had come for him in the mail.  It was from Mag.  Blaise had commissioned her jeweler for a Hollows pendant for Gellert to replace the one he used to wear before his incarceration.  Though it held no enchantments, it along with all of his possessions, was confiscated.  He'd lost everything, and at least this, Blaise could replace.  He knew how much the hollows meant to Gellert even if he no longer planned to pursue their physical representations.</p><p>Gellert had lost so much of who he was starting with the fifty year incarceration and ending with having no power base or goals now he was free.  Blaise hated seeing the beautiful proud wizard so easily cowed by fears of displeasing Wolfgang or even Blaise's own parents at times when he'd once led masses.  If Blaise could give him back a reminder of himself, that was something toward building up his strength.</p><p>"It's almost like my old one," Gellert said.<br/>
"This one is a bit shinier, but I like that."<br/>
He held the large hollows pendant on his palm, a fond look in his blue eyes.<br/>
"I thought to enchant it with the layers of protective warning wards that are on my black widow spider pendant if you like," Blaise offered.<br/>
"If you want we can do it together and it'll be faster."</p><p>"I'd like that," Gellert said.<br/>
"I remember how impressed I was with those wards the first night."<br/>
Blaise's body heated at the memory of their first night together.  They'd snuggled in bed between incredible bouts of shagging and Gellert had idly toyed with his spider pendant, asking him about the wards he wasn't able to identify.  What a rush that had been to Blaise's Ego.</p><p>That was the first enchanted object I ever made and it took me months as each ward had to be layered in several times to make it stick," Blaise reminisced fondly.<br/>
"With us working together, I bet we can do it in a matter of weeks.  Definitely before I return to Hogwarts."<br/>
Gellert laughed, tossing his long blonde hair in a carefree gesture.<br/>
"Weeks?  Why my boy, I think we can do it in a matter of days.  We are brilliant, after all."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0048"><h2>48. We Belong Together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Millicent's wedding was a small affair and it took place a week before Blaise returned to Hogwarts for his final year.  Mag was Millicent's maid of honor being her oldest childhood friend, and Kereston was a bride's maid along with two of Millicent's cousins.  Wolfgang's best man was a friend from Germany.  Afterward the reception went long into the night with lots of dancing, flowing drink and good German food.</p><p>Gellert enjoyed the feel of home the wedding provided in way of music and food.  He and Blaise danced together and spent many romantic moments feeding one another various bites of this and that.  Often Gellert would glance around to notice that, strangely no one was staring at them as they indulged in such behavior.  No one cared that two men were obviously enamored with one another.  In his day this would never have been the case if they weren't in one of the more rebellious cities in Germany or France and this was London!</p><p>At one point, he and Blaise found themselves at a table of food beside Kereston and Regulus.  Kreacher stood between them talking to Kereston.  To Gellert's mild amusement, Kreacher and Regulus wore matching tuxedos.<br/>
"Is Regulus your date for the evening," Gellert asked Kereston and the little blonde shook her head hard.<br/>
"No...I've been hanging out with Kreacher in the afternoons while Regulus is asleep. I've shown him some of the things we've done during our practice sessions at Hogwarts."</p><p>"Kereston also showed Kreacher the pendants that Blaise Zabini and Gellert Grindelwald enchanted,"  the elf said in his low rasping voice.<br/>
"He finds their work impressive.  He has enchanted a few items himself."<br/>
"Really," Blaise asked.<br/>
He was curious because Bramble never enchanted anything to his knowledge.</p><p>Kreacher nodded shyly.<br/>
"Just a few dishes to remain clean and such."<br/>
"That's an interesting idea," Blaise said.<br/>
"Especially for families without their own house elves.  Eventually Gellert and I plan to open our own shop in which we shall sell the items we make as well as those rare artifacts we find on our travels and anything other skilled magic users wish to place in the shop on commission.  If you would like to make some things we would be honored to carry them.  We wish to excel in the unusual."</p><p>Kreacher looked surprised, but nodded.<br/>
"Kreacher will consider."<br/>
"I'm sure you would make some brilliant things if you put your mind to it," Regulus told the elf, speaking for the first time during the conversation.<br/>
Vampire and elf locked eyes for a long moment, the expression between them a mix of tender and...heated?  Then again, Gellert supposed his mind was operating on a far more sexual level than it ever had before so he was probably imagining things.</p><p>When it was time for the wedding gifts to be opened, Gellert and Blaise personally presented the bride and groom with matching green onyx and gold rings.  Like Blaise's spider pendant and Gellert's hollows, they were layered in protective wards to alert them to any magic being used on them.<br/>
"Thanks, Prats," Millicent said as she and Wolfgang slipped the rings onto the first fingers of their right hands.<br/>
"They fit great."<br/>
Leaning closer she whispered," And probably the best gift we've gotten all night. Really, thanks."<br/>
Blaise nodded, knowing how much an extra layer of protection mattered to the frequently fearful Millicent</p><p>"Sure thing, Troll.  After what your troll husband did for me it's the least we can do," Gellert said, winking and clapping her on the shoulder to lighten the moment.<br/>
Wolfgang merely shook his head at Gellert's antics, apparently unmoved by being referred to as a troll rather than the half giant he actually was.  In truth he'd simply learned to take Gellert's wild talk with a grain of salt...or five.</p><p>The newly married couple headed to Bermuda for their honeymoon, and due to the Voldemort situation they were only planning to be gone for three days.  Blaise envied their ability to get away together for even that long.  It was both exciting and frustrating to think of all the places he and Gellert planned to go when they were free to travel the world together at their leisure.  Exciting because it was going to be bloody brilliant and frustrating because they had to wait until Voldemort was dead to have their freedom.  All this made the upcoming year at Hogwarts and consequent separation from Gellert even less palatable for him.</p><p>When the day finally came, Gellert went along with Blaise's parents to take him to catch the train.  They shared their last embrace on platform nine and three quarters.<br/>
"I'm going to miss you so much," Blaise murmured, holding Gellert tight, uncaring of who may be looking on.<br/>
"I'll be here when you get home, and remember I get to see you every other weekend," Gellert said, clinging just as tightly.<br/>
The experience of a painful separation was a first for both of them and neither liked it one bit.  Their final kiss of parting turned into four or five before Geo almost tactfully reminded Blaise that the train was about to leave.</p><p>"Take care of my man," Blaise told his parents firmly, giving each a brief hug.<br/>
"Of course," Geo assured and Blaise rushed through the barrier without looking back.  He forced himself not to look back because he knew if he did, his feet would follow his eyes straight back to Gellert and he'd not get on the damned train.  The last thing he needed was to be in for it for ignoring the mandatory school attendance set forth by the Ministry AKA Voldemort.</p><p>Gellert stood frozen, watching as Blaise vanished through the barrier.  He already felt lost without the dark haired youth at his side.<br/>
"This year will be over before the two of you know it,"  Sabra Zabini said, patting Gellert's arm.<br/>
Oddly her mothering tone comforted him more than he expected and he nodded, forcing a smile.<br/>
"I hope so."</p><p>"Don't worry, we'll keep you busy,"  Sabra promised.<br/>
"Oh," Gellert asked, curious now.<br/>
"You still have to help me plan my final funeral," Geo said in hushed tones.<br/>
"And I've decided to train you in the art of poisons," Sabra added.<br/>
"That is a great honor, because Master Blaise is the only other person Mistress has shared her arts with other than Bramble himself," the elf said, then apparated them all home in his usual efficient manner.</p><p>Gellert was stunned.<br/>
"I...I'm honored," he told Sabra.<br/>
"Thank you."<br/>
"Think nothing of it," Sabra said.<br/>
"I made Blaise learn when he was ten.  It could save your life someday or help you take someone else's without a trace  Both things you shall find useful more than once if your lives become truly interesting. I assume you don't already know all there is to know about poisons, then?"<br/>
Gellert shook his head.<br/>
Sabra chuckled.<br/>
"Then it shall be an honor to teach the likes of Gellert Grindelwald something he doesn't already know."</p><p>Gellert wanted to say that she'd already done that, but he was too embarrassed.  Explaining that the two elder Zabinis had shown him in a few months what it was to have a family and parents would feel far too uncomfortable as well as presumptuous.  He gave her a warm smile instead.<br/>
"I can't wait to get started!"</p><p>Over the next few weeks, Gellert's time was divided between extensive poison lessons from Sabra and flipping through funeral catalogs with Geo, debating the inns and outs of each detail of his next and final funeral.  It was amusing and fascinating how much Geo got into it.  One day Kereston even came to visit for a few hours.</p><p>"I thought you may be bored," she said as they sat over tea in the library.<br/>
"I've been too busy for that, but the company is still nice," Gellert said with a chuckle.<br/>
Kereston grinned.<br/>
"Geo does really get into his funerals, doesn't he?"<br/>
Gellert nodded, still smiling.<br/>
"He only shows those catalogs to people he likes and trusts, you know," Kereston told him.<br/>
"I was a shoe in from childhood, but he took to you fast."</p><p>"They have both been very kind to me," Gellert said.<br/>
"I like them a lot."<br/>
"That's good because it would be dreadful to dislike your in-laws.  I mean you and Blaise aren't married but you know..."<br/>
Gellert nodded.<br/>
"It does feel as if we are at least that close."</p><p>"I can't imagine feeling that intensely about anyone, but perhaps someday I will," Kereston said, but Gellert could tell from her tone that she was doubtful.<br/>
"Oh I'm sure there is a nasty McDonalds burger out there just waiting for you to put your mouth on it," he snarked and she laughed, rolling her eyes.<br/>
"You are such a git!"<br/>
She blinked, shaking her head as if surprised by her own words.<br/>
"It's so strange.  If someone had told me like in divination's class or something that I'd be sitting with Gellert Grindelwald one day and calling him a git I'd never have believed it!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0049"><h2>49. We're All Mad Here</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As it turned out, having Death Eaters for professors was as disconcerting as Blaise had imagined it would be.  The heads up from Snape had helped a bit, he supposed.  He had time to process and there was no shock involved, but learning from deranged followers of Voldemort wasn't his preferred activity.  Of course he already knew everything being taught in the dark arts class, so there wasn't even the perc of at least gaining useful information.  Instead he had to listen to a deranged Death Eater with poor grammar instructing him on the basics.  It almost made him miss Defense Against the Dark Arts class!  The fact students who behaved poorly could be tortured meant little to Blaise personally, because he never behaved poorly in school so wasn't at risk.  Still the fact this wasn't rational behavior for a professor did serve to keep the vibe of being trapped in an insane nightmare alive and well for him.</p><p>The 'fun' continued in Muggle Studies in the same off with their heads fashion.  Both Carrow siblings were equally stupid and it only served to show that Voldemort would allow anyone into his ranks who was willing.  Of course that was to be expected but to put these two in Hogwarts as professors showed that Voldemort truly didn't give a damn about wizarding education as he pretended to do.  Then again the man was obviously as insane as his followers.  Blaise had to continuously remind himself of that fact and as such there would be no logic involved.</p><p>He didn't even disagree with most of what was said of Muggles in the 'Muggle Studies' class, but Muggle bashing should perhaps serve as an opener rather than an entire lesson.  One should be educated about the Muggle world if the class had to exist at all, and Electo Carrow obviously had no idea about any of that.  Not to mention though Muggles were dirty and stupid, he could say the same of many wizards.  The Weasleys for example.</p><p>At least the other classes were ordinary enough, so there was some sense of normalcy.  During any class not taught by the Carrows, Blaise was able to spend his time thinking of Gellert.  Wondering what he was doing instead of focusing on the lessons.  Blaise never was one to study and always managed to pull off high marks regardless because he never felt truly challenged.  Without a Death Eater looking at him, he felt free to ignore the lessons, instead idly sketching hearts with the hollows inside along with his and Gellert's initials.  That sort of thing was something silly a girl would do, and though it may have bothered him a month ago, he didn't care now.  Perhaps because he missed Gellert terribly or perhaps it was simply because a heart with the Hollows inside along with his and Gellert's initials just looked bloody brilliant!</p><p>Though there were only two disconcerting classes to get through, the blanket of normalcy over the rest of Hogwarts felt thin to Blaise.  The Death Eaters were still there, probably always watching for something to report back to their stupid Dark Lord if they were smart enough to do so which he doubted at times.  This doubt didn't cause him to feel anymore relaxed, though.  Then there were the students.  One never knew how many followed Voldemort out of fear if nothing else.  He was at last grateful for the web of dark tendencies his parents had woven around the family, because he was left alone.</p><p>Never overly social, he was quieter than usual with Kereston graduated and Millicent gone and married.  The only people in the school he could entirely trust at this point were Flitwick and Snape and with them being professors it wasn't exactly as if they could hang out. Pansy stuck close to him often enough but even she didn't say much, a fact with which he had no problem at all.</p><p>By the time the two weeks had passed and Gellert was due for a visit, he was a bit starved for conversation as well as for the blonde's beautiful body.  It was Nightshade who summoned him to Snape's office.  The owl approached him that Saturday at breakfast with a parchment that turned out to be blank.<br/>
//You're man's here.  Go to Prof's office,// the bird thought into his mind as he flew away.<br/>
Though he was now the headmaster, Blaise was fully aware that Prof, always meant Severus Snape in Nightshade speak.</p><p>Blaise had to force himself not to run from the Great Hall so eager was he to see Gellert.  When he knocked on the door to the headmaster's office he still almost expected to hear Dumbledore calling out for him to enter.  For the first time, Blaise bothered to wonder how he was enjoying his time at Durmstrang.  Quite likely a lot more than anyone was enjoying theirs at bloody down the rabbit hole Hogwarts this year.  It was a grim faced Flitwick who opened the door to Blaise's knock and ushered him inside.  Gellert stood beside Bramble, a trunk at his feet and he looked wonderful!</p><p>"Everyone who counts is here to greet me,"  Gellert laughed, opening his arms to Blaise.<br/>
"Though it is nice to see you, I was here to complain to Severus about the fact that he actually wants me to pretend not to be his friend if things become...sticky here with these new professors," Filius huffed.<br/>
"It was more fun when I thought you were here to see me," Gellert said as he and Blaise embraced.<br/>
"The rest is boring."</p><p>"It's hardly boring that I am trying to keep him safe and he wishes to foolishly put friendship over safety," Severus bit out, scowling at Filius.<br/>
"It isn't as if you're really going to turn your back on me.  You'll just have to pretend to if it comes down to it."<br/>
Blaise relished the feel of Gellert in his arms and the strawberry smell of the shampoo he used.  Blaise supposed his own hair smelled the same as it was the shampoo his mum bought for all the bathrooms in the Zabini house, but his hair was too short for him to sniff and...besides, he had no desire to do so.</p><p>"It's so good to see you,"  he told Gellert.<br/>
"You can't imagine!  It's been so bloody weird here in the worst of ways."<br/>
He squeezed Gellert tightly, pressing his face into the other man's blond curls.<br/>
"It isn't about him so he doesn't care," Flitwick pointed out and Gellert laughed.<br/>
"If Blaise is talking, I always care."<br/>
Though Blaise felt the same about him and expected as much in return, it was still comforting to hear.  Hearing that Gellert always cared was just what he needed at present.</p><p>"I don't see how you've done it all these years," he told Severus over Gellert's shoulder.<br/>
"Dealing with that sort of insanity time and time again...I just want to say much respect."<br/>
Severus cleared his throat, looking a strange mix of touched and uncomfortable.<br/>
"Well...Thank you, Zabini.  It certainly isn't easy and it is a thing one must prepare oneself for each time.</p><p>Blaise knew he likely wasn't doing the preparation thing enough before each Death Eater taught class, but then he didn't have nearly as much to hide as Snape.  He supposed his parents blackening the family name as they had, prepared things for him quite well and again he found himself appreciating them for it.</p><p>"You have a room ready in the staff wing beside Filius's," Severus told Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
"We've already put silencing wards up so that no one will have to hear the two of you being nasty."<br/>
"We aren't at all nasty," Gellert interjected, tossing his blonde curls.<br/>
"We make beautiful sounds of the most pure passion if we can be heard at all."</p><p>Flitwick made a choking sound and hastily turned away and Snape looked as if he'd just bitten down hard on a lemon.<br/>
"You aren't at all amusing, Grindelwald," he said tersely.<br/>
"Of course I am,"  Gellert shot back with a merry laugh.<br/>
"To know me is to love me."</p><p>"Get them out of here and into their room, please," Severus told Bramble, who nodded.<br/>
"If you need anything for whatever you'll be working on this weekend, your elf can let us know if it isn't something he can provide," Severus continued, turning back to Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
"I shouldn't have to say this, but you are not to shag all weekend.  You are to spend some time on making our lives easier and safer during this insanity or I won't continue to allow these every other weekend meetings.  Do you understand?"</p><p>"Yes, yes," Gellert said, brushing Snape's words away as if they were annoying specks of dust.<br/>
"I liked you better before you got a job you hated even more than your old one."<br/>
"I liked me better then too," Severus growled.<br/>
"Now get out!"<br/>
Blaise wasn't sure if he should feel better or worse that Snape hated being headmaster as much as Blaise himself hated being a student here this year.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0050"><h2>50. You Can Ring My Bell</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Gods if I never hear Snape say shagging again, it'll be too soon," Blaise said, bursting into laughter the instant Bramble apparated them into their room.<br/>
"Quite," Gellert agreed.<br/>
"It's just because he's not getting shagged.  It makes him more difficult."<br/>
"He's with Mag, so you'd think he should be getting shagged," Blaise said cautiously before laughing again.<br/>
"Really?  They're like that?"<br/>
Blaise nodded.<br/>
"It's my understanding, yes."<br/>
"Well she can't be satisfactory," Gellert decided.<br/>
"Because he doesn't appear to be a man getting any satisfaction."</p><p> </p><p>"If there is nothing else," Bramble cut in, obviously pained in some way by the current conversation."No, we're good, thanks, Bramble," Blaise said.<br/>
"How did you know where the room was anyway," he asked, curious.<br/>
"Severus Snape asked Bramble to come to Hogwarts after midnight a few days ago so no one would see when he showed Bramble where to go," the elf explained.</p><p>"You did that for us," Gellert asked.<br/>
"Thank you," he added hastily before Bramble could ruin his kind thoughts with a snarky answer.<br/>
Snarky answers were Gellert's thing and he rarely enjoyed them as much from others, especially a potentially dangerous elf who had learned poisons from Sabra Zabini.<br/>
"Gellert is welcome," Bramble replied gravely.<br/>
"He will return for Gellert Sunday at three in the afternoon.  He would appreciate it if he did not apparate in on anything...unseemly.  Meals for Master Blaise and Gellert shall appear three times daily on that table in the corner. Bramble has already enchanted it to accept the food he will send.  This means he won't have to come in person and risk interrupting the two of you in your work or...anything else."</p><p>Before Blaise could thank his elf or Gellert could formulate anything disturbing to impart as a farewell, Bramble apparated away.<br/>
"Well," Gellert quipped.<br/>
"I think we're alone now."<br/>
The room in which they stood held a table for two in the corner that Bramble had indicated when speaking of their meals.  There were two chairs and the table held several sheets of parchment and two quills.  A large bed stood on the other side of the room with a little bedside table to the right of it.  The table held a pitcher of water and two glasses.  Otherwise the room was empty save for a few trunks.</p><p> </p><p>"One of those trunks is yours," Gellert explained.<br/>
"Bramble asked me to pack it for you with anything you may require over the next few days so there are outfits and toiletries."<br/>
"Ah thank you.  That was sweet," Blaise said, and drew Gellert into his arms to thank him more soundly with a kiss or several.</p><p>Blaise hadn't thought of packing things for the weekend.  Probably because he wasn't actually leaving, but having everything right here was more sensible.  No one would see him slipping back to the dorm for anything so there would be fewer questions.  He planned to say he spent the weekend in Hogsmeade when asked.<br/>
Though Blaise had often thought of things he wanted to say to Gellert over the past few weeks, conversations he longed to have with the other wizard about anything from daily happenings to magical theory, all that went right out of his mind as their kisses and caresses became rapidly more intense.  Nothing mattered but immediate satisfaction.</p><p>Clothes were thrown to the floor as they practically dragged one another across the room to the bed.  At several points, Blaise had to choose between kissing Gellert senseless and breathing.  Each time he decided breathing was overrated.<br/>
"Gods you're delicious!  I've missed you so much," he managed when breathing at last became a necessity.<br/>
"It's odd...or perhaps it isn't, but I've noticed that I don't feel complete when we aren't together," Gellert said.</p><p>"I could lose my mind in the best of ways when you talk like that," Blaise said, meaning every word.<br/>
He never imagined it was possible to feel the way Gellert made him feel with just a look from those beautiful flashing blue eyes.<br/>
"You packed the cream, right?"<br/>
"But of course," Gellert said.<br/>
"What do you take me for?  I always remember the necessities."</p><p>Chuckling, Blaise stretched out one hand.<br/>
"Accio cream."<br/>
The lid flew back on one of the trunks, and the cream flung itself into Blaise's waiting palm.  Rather than applying it right away, he began to kiss and stroke his way down Gellert's body, reveling in every encouraging moan and arch as the blonde eagerly responded to his touches.  At last Blaise hungrily drew Gellert's erection into his mouth, then let it slide slowly in and out as he savored the moment.</p><p>"Oh gods, Blaise!  Yes!  That is so good!  Gods, I've missed you!  Yes like that, please don't stop!"<br/>
Gellert thrust his hips almost desperately as he spoke, slender fingers winding in Blaise's short wavy dark hair.<br/>
Obligingly, Blaise didn't stop until he sensed that Gellert was about to finish.  He drew back to Gellert's cry of frustrated protest.  Raising up to cover Gellert's body with his, he silenced the protest with a deep lingering kiss.  Covering his own throbbing erection with cream he slid it ever so slowly inside of Gellert.  Then it was his turn to groan. It felt so amazing.  Beyond amazing, and it had been far too long.</p><p>"Oh my God, Gellert!  You feel like heaven."<br/>
His eyes closed briefly as the pleasure swept over him, but forced them open to see Gellert's face as he began to slowly move inside of him.  Gellert thrust upward, beautiful sculpted lips parted as he breathlessly locked eyes with Blaise.  As Blaise raised up on one arm and used his free hand to stroke Gellert's erection, the German made a low sound of pleasure, breaths coming faster.</p><p>"I love you...so very much," Blaise said, losing himself to the moment and its intoxicating mix of lust and emotion.<br/>
"Yes," Gellert managed.<br/>
"Very much love...My Blaise."<br/>
Then he spoke words in German as he spilled over Blaise's hand.  Blaise thrust a final time into Gellert's exquisite tight warmth and shouted wordlessly as he reached his own climax.</p><p>They just lay tangled together for a while after that, unable to move or even to think.  Blaise had no idea how much time had passed when thoughts began sluggishly returning to his brain.<br/>
"This every two weeks rubbish is going to kill me," he murmured into Gellert's hair.<br/>
"You and me both," Gellert agreed with a dry chuckle.</p><p>"Has it been alright for you with my parents," Blaise asked and Gellert nodded.<br/>
"They are very kind to me.  Your mother teaches me about poisons, and your father lets me help with the planning of his final funeral.  Do you really think it will be his final one, though," Gellert asked, a playful grin dancing across his lips.<br/>
"He does seem to enjoy the process so much, after all.  It makes me wonder if he will be able to stop."</p><p>"God I hope he stops once bloody Voldemort is dead,"  Blaise said with a chuckle.<br/>
"Is it dreadful learning the poisons?"<br/>
"No, actually.  I am enjoying it immensely!"<br/>
"Really," Blaise chuckled.<br/>
"Perhaps I would've fancied it more if Mum had waited to teach me when I was a bit older.  As it was, she thought I should get an early dark arts start.  I don't mind that in itself.  Just the poisons were so dull for my ten year old mind."</p><p>"For me it's a fascinating opportunity to learn something I know very little about, and the fact your mother is willing to share her trade secrets with me is a great honor."<br/>
"Well I'm glad someone is getting an education this semester," Blaise grumbled darkly.<br/>
"We finally get a dark arts class like at Durmstrang, even if a bloody Death Eater is teaching it, and the most advanced thing we get to learn is Fiendfyre! Something I learned from my dad when I was fourteen!"</p><p>Blaise heaved a disgusted sigh.<br/>
"Not to mention the Death Eaters sent here to instruct us don't even have a proper command of the language. Their bloody grammar is atrocious!"<br/>
"Where are they from," Gellert asked curiously.<br/>
Blaise gave a short derisive laugh.<br/>
"That's just it.  They're British!"<br/>
"Uneducated professors," Gellert said and Blaise nodded.<br/>
"Voldemort doesn't really care about anything he pretends to and it's not even anything he's bothering to pretend about anymore it seems," Blaise said.<br/>
"That or he's just too bloody insane to get it, and to be honest, considering the seven Horcruxes situation, I'm leaning toward that one being the case."</p><p>"Well," Gellert said, thoughtfully raising up on one elbow.<br/>
"Perhaps if he's slipping, he'll slip up in all areas.  In my experience that's usually the way of it.  Now if all of those who seek to bring him down are able to take proper advantage of that, we'll be getting somewhere."<br/>
"Speaking of that," Blaise said.<br/>
"What are we working on this weekend?  The magical grenades, or did you have another idea?"<br/>
"I did, actually, if you'd like to give it a try," Gellert said.<br/>
"It's a bit risky, though, so we'll have to be careful, but it would give us a bit of fun and excitement.  I had an idea for a sort of magical bug.  We could put it into the robes of the professors who are Death Eaters, then link it to Severus's wand so he can spy on them any time."</p><p>"A bug? You mean like an eavesdropping device, right,"  Blaise asked.<br/>
"That's right," Gellert said.<br/>
"It can be made of a tuft of fabric, so it will fit right into the robe and never be detected."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0051"><h2>51. Snug as a Bug in a Robe</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"We can use tufts from the bath towels to make the bugs," Gellert said, and dragged himself from the bed with a regretful sigh.<br/>
He didn't bother to get dressed as he languidly padded across to the bathroom.  After about half a minute, he was back with several long threads on the palm of his hand.  Blaise sprawled naked on the bed watching as Gellert approached.<br/>
"All we have to do is enchant these with listening charms, then link each of them to Snape's wand or whatever he wants to use when he activates them to eaves drop.  I know a very good amplifying charm to add to the eavesdropping charm that will make it even better."</p><p> </p><p>"Good," Blaise said, pushing himself up to a sitting position.<br/>
"Show me."<br/>
They had the handful of threads that Gellert tugged from the bath towels enchanted with listening charms in less than two hours.<br/>
"Now we'll need to link them to whatever Snape wants to use to activate them, and after that we'll just meld them with the fabric of our targets robes," Gellert said.</p><p>Blaise smiled, liking to think of Death Eaters as targets.  It made him feel more powerful somehow while making them seem less threatening.  Were he in the company of anyone other than Gellert, he would not have been as willing to allow himself such a feeling of superior security when it came to going directly up against Voldemort's own.<br/>
"I suppose we'd better get dressed then," he said with a regretful sigh.</p><p>Gellert's lips twitched and his eyes sparkled merrily.<br/>
"Why?  Don't you think Snape would enjoy seeing us naked?  I'd just love to see his face contort!"<br/>
Blaise snickered.<br/>
"But this drafty castle won't be so amusing for your beautiful balls when they get chilled," he pointed out, struggling not to reach out and caress the balls in question.</p><p>If he did, Blaise knew they'd not leave the room for hours and he wouldn't care.  Everyone else wanting them to be productive in the fight against Voldemort would certainly care, though...a lot.  They'd complain and make it difficult for he and Gellert and things of late were already difficult enough.<br/>
Gellert heaved a sigh as he reached for his clothes.<br/>
"Alright.  I'll get dressed...If only for my beautiful balls!"</p><p>As he pulled on his own clothes, Blaise had to admit silently to himself, that the idea of running around Hogwarts naked with Gellert under disillusionment did sound like fun.  Gellert certainly had loosened him up.  It was just his magic.  Gellert's wild fun personality was contagious, and Blaise had a particular susceptibility to it in particular.  Once the two were dressed they cast disillusionment on themselves, then a silencing charm on their shoes.</p><p>Blaise recalled how impressed his friends and family were that he was able to learn the disillusionment charm from Gellert in less than a week.  None of them could manage it, but Blaise thought it was simple enough.  It was all in the way you understood the charms that connected like a chain of logic that made it what it was.  Of course Gellert wasn't surprised that Blaise could manage it, and in fact had expected as much.</p><p>"I've got the threads," Gellert said.<br/>
"Are we ready?"<br/>
"Yes."<br/>
Blaise spoke rather than nodding as Gellert couldn't see him.  It was strange not being able to look at one another but necessary, and Blaise supposed he'd grow accustomed to it.  As they left the room, Blaise was careful to close the door very softly behind them so the sound wouldn't draw attention if any professors happened to be close as they were in the staff wing.</p><p>As they started out, he grasped Gellert's hand so they wouldn't get separated.  If they did, calling out to one another would rather defeat the point of being invisible.  They'd need to work up a linking charm so they could see one another when under disillusionment, Blaise thought as they walked toward the dungeons.  It ought to be simple enough.  Perhaps they could even work on it today if there was time.</p><p>As they passed the Great Hall, two Gryffindor girls skipped out ahead of them.  Gellert gave Blaise's hand a squeeze, then tugged him forward.  Though Blaise couldn't see what he did, one of the girls gave a surprised squeal and whirled around.</p><p>"Hey," she cried.<br/>
"There's no one there!"<br/>
"That's right," the other girl agreed, looking baffled.<br/>
"There isn't.  What ever is the matter?"<br/>
"Someone tugged my hair," the first girl declared.<br/>
"Well where are they," her friend asked and the first girl scowled.<br/>
"That's just it!  There isn't anyone around, but I swear someone tugged my hair...rather hard I might add!"<br/>
"Perhaps it was Peeves," her friend said, and Blaise smirked as it had obviously been Gellert.</p><p>As Gellert and Blaise passed them, the second girl gasped.<br/>
"What," the first asked eagerly.<br/>
"Someone patted my cheek," the second said in a near whisper.<br/>
Disconcerted, she peered around her.<br/>
"I don't think it felt like Peeves!"<br/>
"Do you know what Peeves feels like," the first girl asked.</p><p>Gellert and Blaise rounded a corner then, and the two Gryffindor girls were out of sight.  For the first time, probably ever, Blaise was actually having fun at Hogwarts!<br/>
Luckily Snape was alone in his office.  When Blaise knocked, he opened the door at once, peering around with an annoyed scowl when he saw no one there. Blaise pushed him aside so that he and Gellert could hurry in.  Once they were inside, Blaise softly closed the door, then dropped his disillusionment charm at the same time as Gellert.</p><p>"Did you miss us," Gellert asked with an amused smirk.<br/>
"Dreadfully," Snape replied dryly.<br/>
"What do you want? I hope you were careful on the way here. You know it is important that no one suspects...anything."</p><p>Gellert sighed.<br/>
"I'm bored.  Lets go back to when you were asking what we wanted and take it from there.  We made something for you to spy whenever you like on your new and unwanted professors.  We just need to know what you'd like it linked to in order to activate it.  It's auditory spying at this point. Eavesdropping," he elaborated.<br/>
"If you require visuals as well, that's a bit more tricky and though we could pull it off, your dark lord could potentially detect it if they were in his presence and he happened to be looking for anything untoward.  Considering his level of carelessness and insanity the event seems unlikely but we opted to play it safe."</p><p>"Don't under estimate the dark lord," Severus warned, giving the blonde an exasperated frown.<br/>
Gellert frowned back.<br/>
"I think you may be forgetting who I am."<br/>
He knew he shouldn't make waves, but sometimes all the incompetence and lack of respect around him from most everyone but Blaise, his parents and Kereston just became too much, especially when he was forced to work within such outrageously limited confines.  They all complained, rightfully so, about the lack of action from their ministry, then did the same themselves.  Granted the Ministry wanted to pull the wool over its own eyes out of rampant stupidity and fear while this group merely chose to be too cautious, only taking minimal actions that mostly involved defense because a prophecy dictated that an incompetent boy had to do the actual work.</p><p>"I remember exactly who you are," Severus replied coldly.<br/>
"A brilliant wizard who felt himself above caution and got put down for it.  And can he learn from his mistakes to avoid it happening again?  No, because he has no idea how he was taken down in the first place."</p><p>"I know that your dark lord did not do it, and as I'm not trying to come out and announce my presence to the wizarding world that's enough right now," Gellert shot back.<br/>
"He's taken over your ministry.  If you were smart, you'd all use the same tactics or harder ones to reclaim it. Instead you wait about for an incompetent child to somehow..."</p><p>"I agree with the logic of everything you're saying," Severus cut in, suddenly looking tired.<br/>
"It isn't that simple, though.  He's always one step ahead.  We try to take it back by imperioing Ministry officials and if he's already got them they're activated to kill us or worse, take us to him.  If those of us who are actually taking action are taken out, he'll win.  In this case, it is better to allow the prophecy to play out.  He'll hang himself on Potter's shoelaces or however it works out and his regime will topple with his death."</p><p>Gellert shrugged.<br/>
"If you say so.  I really don't care one way or the other."<br/>
"Stop being a prat,"  Severus said.<br/>
"Does it matter what I use to activate the eavesdropping?"<br/>
"It shouldn't," Gellert replied.<br/>
"How about a glass? I can hold it up to my ear when I want to listen in on what they're saying and the voices won't carry in case anyone dares to eavesdrop outside of my own door."<br/>
"Sounds good,"  Blaise said, nodding.<br/>
He was glad the conversation had gotten back to the topic at hand.  If Snape continued to make snarky comments to Gellert he'd have to step in and defend him, which would likely make Snape more difficult about their weekend visits.</p><p>Severus stood and went over to a cabinet, returning with a tall glass.  He presented it wordlessly to Gellert.<br/>
"We'll link the threads to the glass then we need to attach them to the robes of the professors in question.  We will need to be shown where their rooms are," Gellert said.<br/>
"Dinner is at six. That is in five more hours.  If the threads will be linked to the glass by then, I can come to you at six and show you to their chambers while they are having dinner in the Great Hall," Severus said.</p><p>"That's fine," Blaise said.<br/>
The two left and didn't speak until they were back in their room.  Nothing eventful or interesting happened on the way there and they walked with clasped hands so they remained together to arrive at the room at the same time.  This ensured the door wouldn't have to invisibly open and shut more than once.  Before they entered, they made certain no one was around.  As soon as the door was closed behind them they dropped the disillusionment charms.<br/>
"I don't like Headmaster Snape at all," Gellert complained, making a face.</p><p>"I doubt he does either," Blaise said with a grin.<br/>
"The Potter prophecy does sound insane, but I think that's the point.  It takes something that ridiculous to get rid of this bastard.  Some fluke he won't see coming I guess.  Perhaps it's in part due to the Horcruxes.  We really don't know what one gains from doing that, but his disintegrating sanity certainly shows what one loses.  His gains must be giving him an edge currently that whatever we'd do may not be enough to combat.  Like figurative mental eyes in the back of his head or something..."</p><p>He flopped onto the bed and Gellert joined him, glass in hand.<br/>
"It's hard to imagine, but perhaps so," he said.<br/>
They had the threads linked to the glass in less than an hour, and spent the rest of the time working on a charm of revealing that would link to them and show them to one another when under disillusionment.  The charm would be performed once the disillusionment was in place.  When Severus arrived at six, they got to try it out.  They could see one another, but he could not see them, so it worked perfectly.</p><p>"I'll keep a hold of your arm until we arrive at their rooms,"  Blaise told Snape.<br/>
"Once we arrive, you can go, and we'll take it from there."<br/>
Snape gave them an uneasy frown.<br/>
"Just get in and out fast," he ordered.<br/>
"If either of them returns and finds you, there could be trouble for me which is the last thing I need right now."</p><p>Gellert sighed.<br/>
"Or I could simply obliviate them," he said in a bored tone.<br/>
"Which I will.  It won't be as if they will even be able to see us.  That means their precious dark lord can't take our images from their minds even if he is able to see they were tampered with."</p><p>Severus sighed and nodded.<br/>
"Well at least you're thinking.  Just try to make sure you're out before they return, though and you won't have to."<br/>
Gellert smirked.<br/>
"And where's the fun in that?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0052"><h2>52. In the Closet, though Not at All by Choice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Severus showed Blaise and Gellert to first Amycus Carrow's room then to Electo's next door to it.<br/>
"Get in and out fast," he hissed at them as he turned to go.<br/>
"I'll return to the Great Hall and stall them as long as I can, but hurry."</p><p>"These things can't be rushed but we'll do our best to accommodate, Boss," Gellert murmured dryly, but Severus was already heading away as he spoke.<br/>
"Yes I miss Severus the professor," Gellert told Blaise after they'd slipped inside of Amycus's room.<br/>
"Headmaster Severus is bloody annoying."</p><p>They got to work at once, merging an enchanted eavesdropping thread to each of the Dark Arts professor's robes.  It would've been more comfortable if they could take the robes from the wardrobe to accomplish this task, but if Amycus happened to come in, seeing his robes seemingly floating in mid air would most definitely draw unwanted attention.  So Blaise and Gellert squeezed in at the front of the wardrobe side by side so they could get at the robes at the same time.</p><p>Though they hurried, the task took around fifteen or twenty minutes to complete.  They hurried to Electo's room next and began attaching the threads to her robes.  Each was attaching their final thread to a robe, then they heard the knob of the door turning.<br/>
"Son of a bitch," Blaise groan-whispered.<br/>
Please let that be Snape coming to check on their progress and hurry them along, he thought desperately as Gellert dragged him inside of the wardrobe.<br/>
"I used an enlarging charm on the inside so we could fit," Gellert whispered, lips pressed to Blaise's ear.<br/>
In spite of their potentially precarious position, Blaise felt himself growing hard at the feel of Gellert's soft mouth.</p><p>Blaise dragged the door shut behind them as quietly as he could just as the door to the room fully opened.  It shut again, then they heard Electo's footsteps crossing the room followed by the creak of springs as she sank onto the bed.<br/>
"Oh my stomach," she moaned.<br/>
It seemed Electo Carrow's dinner hadn't agreed with her, and now they were stuck inside of the bloody wardrobe indefinitely!  At least until she fell asleep or left.</p><p>Hopefully she'd not decide that another outfit would make her feel better, Blaise thought, biting back a snicker.  At least she wouldn't see them and they should be able to make a creative run for it or, as Gellert had mentioned earlier, simply obliviate her.  Blaise didn't think that solution was the most viable if they had a choice, as, for all they knew, Voldemort could spot traces of such and may even check for them on a regular basis.  A paranoid person would at any rate.  Gellert must have agreed, for he remained still and silent at Blaise's side.</p><p>The woman moaned, groaned, and swore on the bed for at least ten minutes with no signs of letting up.  Blaise carefully squirmed around against the hanging robes, dresses, slacks and tops until he was facing Gellert.  Leaning close he put his mouth to the blonde's ear, unable not to relish the smell and feel of his silken hair in the process.<br/>
"Oh for fuck's sake," he hissed.</p><p>Gellert shifted closer, sliding his arms around Blaise and leaning up to whisper back.<br/>
"You always have the best ideas...Don't mind if I do."<br/>
Trailing his lips across Blaise's cheek to his mouth, Gellert kissed him softly at first, but as Blaise responded it quickly deepened.  They stood squeezed in among Electo Carrow's clothes, kisses and touches fluctuating between slow and teasing to passionate and needing then back again.   Blaise's back pressed into Carrow's clothes as Gellert leaned into him.</p><p>When heated kisses had their lower regions throbbing for more...for a necessary release, Blaise slipped a hand between them to open Gellert's pants.  The blonde let out a soft breath, obviously struggling not to moan out his desire and need as Blaise's hand readily curled around his firm erection.  Being so quiet could've served to deflate their desire, but the thrill of getting one another off in the wardrobe of a professor as well as a Death Eater was danger hot.</p><p>Danger hot happened when sex and danger mixed, a thing Blaise never expected to experience as he avoided danger like the plague.  This was hot though.  As he stroked and teased Gellert he leaned forward to kiss him, tongue curling around Gellert's own.  Gellert practically tore Blaise's pants open as he hungrily returned the kiss.  Blaise's kisses grew even more fervent as Gellert's soft yet strong hand began working him.  Gods it felt good!  So intense was the moment that it didn't take either long to reach completion.  Their hips thrust forward toward one another as they sighed their silent orgasms into one another's mouths.</p><p>Blaise rested his head on Gellert's shoulder as he waited for the wardrobe to stop spinning.  His hand was still lightly curled around Gellert's slowly depleting erection.  Gellert's hand remained curled around Blaise's erection as well as they leaned weakly together into Carrow's clothes.  That had been bloody amazing!</p><p>Blaise nearly started when a knock came on the outer door.  They could hear Electo dragging herself from her bed and stumbling across the room to open it.  Then Severus's voice spoke from just outside.<br/>
"Here is a potion to settle your stomach.  After you drink it, you really should return to the Great Hall and have a bit more to eat.  I had the elves in the kitchen keep something warm for you.  If you don't eat, the potion can't settle properly."</p><p>Good.  Snape was going to get her the hell out of here so they could do the same.  Blaise dug his wand out of the front pocket of his slacks and performed a silent cleaning charm on himself then Gellert.  They both adjusted their clothes, careful not to make a sound while doing so.<br/>
"Thanks," Electo muttered weakly to Severus.<br/>
They waited while she downed the potion then heaved a sigh and headed out the door letting it bang shut behind her.  At last!  Blaise turned toward the door of the wardrobe, but waited to open it until Electo had time to get half way to the Great Hall.</p><p>There was no reason to leave too soon and risk getting caught after being so careful thus far.  When they at last slipped out of the wardrobe and then out of Electo's room, the hallway was empty.  Clasping hands, the two raced back toward their room in the staff wing.  It nearly felt as though they were children fleeing a prank.  They didn't have to hold hands to keep track of each other now, thanks to the revealing charm they'd fashioned for seeing one another when they cast disillusionment.  They clasped hands as they ran for the sheer joy of it.</p><p>When they reached their room, they found dinner waiting for them on the table.  The inviting smell of delicious food was welcoming.<br/>
"Well that was fun," Gellert said brightly as they settled into the chairs that faced one another across the small square table.<br/>
"It really was," Blaise agreed, surprised again at how much he'd enjoyed the thrill of the entire experience.  Gellert brought out a fun wild side of Blaise that he never imagined he'd had in him or even wanted.</p><p>Bramble had put a warming charm on both plates, so the food tasted as perfect as if it were fresh from the oven.  They were starved, so it didn't take long to finish the meal of Cornish hen, roasted potatoes and fresh salad.<br/>
"I'm still not quite used to having good food again," Gellert eventually spoke around a bite of potato.<br/>
"It's been so long that it's still a bit of a novelty.  It's honestly quite humbling to appreciate the little things."</p><p>"I can imagine so,"  Blaise said.<br/>
"As soon as this year is over, we'll be free to travel the world and enjoy all the little things together.  We can explore and seek out rare items, perhaps visit some of your old haunts to see how much they've changed."</p><p>Gellert's eyes sparkled eagerly at the thought.<br/>
"I can't wait!"<br/>
Both nearly started when an unexpected knock came at the door, interrupting their conversation.<br/>
"Disillusionment," Blaise whispered and both cast the charm to hide themselves before Blaise opened the door a crack.  Snape was on the other side, so Blaise hastily stepped back to allow him to enter.  He and Gellert dropped their disillusionment and Snape sighed.<br/>
"Good.  You made it back alright, obviously.  Were there any issues?"</p><p>Gellert smiled happily."None at all.  It was...a wonderful experience."<br/>
Snape gave him a hard suspicious look, but Gellert wandered across the room to Snape's glass that waited on their bedside table.<br/>
"Here you are.  Do test it out soon and let us know how it works out for you.  You're welcome."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0053"><h2>53. The Hallowe'en Feast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blaise would've liked to say the time passed quickly but each day dragged by like a drugged snail.  He fluctuated between being uneasy due to the fact he had to learn from bloody Death Eaters daily, and bored stiff.  If he was stiff somewhere, he'd prefer it to be because of Gellert and not because he felt he was learning absolutely nothing when he should be with Gellert instead!</p><p>For his part, Gellert's days were long but at least interesting.  The Zabini's kept him occupied with poison lessons and funeral planning, with a few hours of personal time to read or study in his room after lunch.  His room...It was a pleasant concept somehow if a common one.  Most people had a room, and he'd had plenty of them in his life, but after fifty years in prison it meant more to feel safe and secure in a place of one's own.  Of course it was a room he shared with Blaise, but that made it all the nicer, even if Blaise wasn't in said room at present.  He had time to miss him at night or in the morning when he reached for him during those moments between sleep and waking.  He imagined Blaise likely did the same and the thought of them sharing that made him smile.</p><p>Of course they made plans to meet for Halloween.  Severus wasn't looking forward to the day because something always tended to happen at Hogwarts on Halloween.  Granted this year Harry Potter and his little friends weren't present and the trouble was always centered around Harry Potter, but that didn't stop Severus being on edge.  For this reason he allowed Gellert to join Blaise for the Hogwarts Hallowe'en feast as long as he wore a costume that completely concealed his identity.  Then Gellert would be there to help if anything went catastrophic. Severus added a costume contest to the Halloween feast, with the prize being one hundred and fifty points to the winner's house.</p><p>Blaise dressed as a runespoor by simply wearing the cloak he'd gotten during Gellert's first shopping trip for clothes.<br/>
"Oh that's brilliant," Pansy squealed as he sat down at the Slytherin table for the feast.<br/>
"It isn't real is it?  May I touch it?"<br/>
Blaise gave her a long suffering look that was obviously more impatient than long suffering in truth.<br/>
"Of course it's real and you may touch it once if you're quick about it."</p><p>"You're always so giving,"  Pansy said dryly, smirking as she lightly touched one of the runespoor's heads.<br/>
"It's even got the teeth in,"  she breathed.<br/>
"You're sure to win the contest and we'll have the house points!"<br/>
Knowing the house benefited over the individual erased any in house rivalry when it came to the costume contest.</p><p>"You're looking absolutely brilliant,"  a breathy voice murmured into Blaise's ear, nearly causing him to start.<br/>
Scowling, he turned to see who was far too close to him, a sharp comment hovering on the tip of his tongue for whoever it was.  He stared into the visage of a Lethifold.  The black cloak had slits for the eyes and mouth of whoever hid under it.  Blaise smirked, understanding at once who it was.<br/>
"You appear to have just fed, as you're a bit thicker than the customary half inch of a lethifold when it's still hungry.  I take that to mean we can feast together without me being eaten," he asked, a small smile playing around his mouth as he gestured the lethifold to the empty chair beside him that he'd been saving.</p><p>"Oh I may devour you anyway," the breathy voice promised.<br/>
Blaise felt a shiver of anticipation traveling down his spine and lower.<br/>
"You know...I've just realized that I have always wanted to be devoured by a lethifold...As long as you make it sexy."<br/>
"Oh very sexy," The lethifold promised as it slid into the chair.</p><p>The two stuffed themselves on sweets as they leaned close to whisper together.<br/>
"I'm so glad you're here," Blaise told Gellert.<br/>
"This yearly Hallowe'en feast is one of the few good things about Hogwarts!  The Yule ball was decent too, but it was ages ago and won't ever happen again."<br/>
Though it was three years ago, fond Hogwarts memories were so few and far between that he recalled it well.<br/>
"I'm counting down the moments until the holidays and weeks of uninterrupted private festivities with you," Blaise said.</p><p>"Our Yule will surpass any Hogwarts Ball, my boy," Gellert agreed enthusiastically.<br/>
As he spoke he squeezed Blaise's leg under the table while popping a miniature pumpkin pastry into his mouth with his other hand.<br/>
The pastry vanished into the black slit in the lethifold's face and Gellert sighed with contentment.</p><p>When the feast was over the Hogwarts ghosts entertained them by floating out of the walls and doing a ghostly dance macabre formation dance.<br/>
Gellert watched in fascination.  He'd have liked to have chatted up a few of them, but at present he couldn't risk revealing himself, even to ghosts.  Though quite dead, they were also quite alive in their way.  Alive enough to spill his secret if they chose...So any conversations he may wish to have with Peeves, or the Bloody Baron would have to wait for a bit.</p><p>After the ghostly entertainment was over, everyone applauded wildly.  Everyone, that was, except for the two Death Eater professors, Gellert noticed.  The look he and Blaise exchanged indicated that Blaise was just as observant.  Apparently insane Death Eaters didn't enjoy ghosts...Likely because they were already dead and so couldn't be killed or tortured if they took it into their mind to do so.</p><p>Voldemort and his followers had no true appreciation for life and this filled Gellert with a resentful rage anytime he pondered that fact for too long.  Voldemort had risen after him, attempting to spout twisted versions of Gellert's own goals, but they were nothing alike.  Gellert stood for joy and life and freedom.  He fought against death and suppression, which was all Voldemort truly wanted.  Somehow far too many people put them in the same category regardless of that fact.  Even before there was a Voldemort, Gellert was unfairly vilified for his honestly good intentions.  During his own efforts to free wizarding kind from Muggle tyranny the news papers had spread such exaggerations and outright lies about what he was doing as well as his intentions.  It made him think that perhaps wizarding kind didn't deserve to be saved from Muggles.</p><p>A dark waltz began to play from somewhere in the ceiling and costumed couples started to move to the middle of the room to dance.  Gellert glided to his feet and extended a hand to Blaise who drew him close for a kiss before they even moved to join the other dancers.  Blaise thought it may be difficult to kiss Gellert through the black fabric covering most of his face, but they managed and gods was it hot.  When they joined the other dancers, the two clung closely together and continued to hungrily kiss as they swayed to the music.  They didn't even notice when the songs changed.  Only Severus calling for everyone to return to their seats reached their lust clouded minds and they reluctantly broke apart to follow his request.</p><p> As Pansy predicted, Blaise won for his runespoor costume and Slytherin got the prize of one hundred and fifty house points.  Malfoy actually looked affronted that Snape hadn't adored his utterly uninspired mad scientist costume.  Blaise thought it was high time Draco learned that the world wasn't always going to treat him as though he were the greatest thing when in fact he actually wasn't.<br/>
The feast ended then and that meant Gellert had to leave.  Though it was Friday, this wasn't one of the weekends designated for them to meet and Snape wouldn't allow him to stay and risk drawing too much attention.   If Blaise wasn't around too frequently, people may start to wonder too much and stop believing that he was simply in Hogsmeade.</p><p>"I'll see you soon,"  Gellert said, and Blaise could hear the reluctance heavy in his voice.<br/>
That made it even harder to part and once again he felt the resentment of being at Hogwarts this year welling up.<br/>
"Yeah.  Brilliant costume, by the way."<br/>
Gellert chuckled.<br/>
"I thought so," he said, tone pleased.<br/>
The lethifold cloak gave Blaise's shoulder a final brush of parting and he regretfully watched it glide away.</p><p>Blaise retreated to the seventh year Slytherin boys dorm to get out of his runespoor cloak.  He felt hollow and mildly depressed now that the evening was over and Gellert was gone.  When they were together everything, even boring Hogwarts was better, and when Gellert was not with him, everything, especially Hogwarts was worse.  Carefully folding the runespoor cloak, Blaise replaced it in his trunk, then laid several hexes on it in case any of his dorm mates took it into their thick heads to try and tamper with it.  If they did, they'd get several nasty surprises and a few physical deformities.<br/>
Even before Hallowe'en night was over, Blaise already found himself looking forward to Christmas.  He and Gellert would have two glorious weeks together and no Hogwarts!  At that thought, Blaise began to feel the Christmas spirit even though that of Hallowe'en was still technically in the air.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0054"><h2>54. All I want for Christmas is you!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the next few months, Blaise and Gellert were forced to spend more time on research than actual enchanted items on their every other weekend meet ups.  They were unable to execute some of their latest ideas for magical weapons without more research.  The spell combinations they originally planned to use could be just as dangerous to their side as they were to the Death Eaters being attacked if they were fighting close to others.  Blaise was able to get some of their research material from the restricted section in the Hogwarts library while Gellert went shopping with Geo between visits for books on explosive magic.  They wanted to use Fiendfyre, and when combined with other spells its control was negligible.  Research was far less stimulating than actual magical work and the combining of spells, so Blaise was more than ready for the Christmas break for more than one reason.</p><p>Not really in the mood for social interaction with anyone other than Gellert, Blaise even did some research on the train ride home.  Reading anything lighter on the mind than that would take less focus, but he knew his brain would wander to how impatient he was to see Gellert which would only make the train ride longer.  The entire family was there on the platform to greet him.  His parents, Bramble, and Gellert all stood together smiling, necks wrapped in bright red and green holiday scarves patterned in holly and ivy.  His parents and Bramble wore puffy winter green coats, but Gellert wore his customary long duster as did Blaise.</p><p>"The two of you look so ridiculous when you match," Sabra complained.<br/>
"On the contrary," Gellert insisted with a happy smile as he and Blaise embraced.<br/>
"We look absolutely dashing!"<br/>
Bramble rolled his eyes as he levitated the trunks Blaise had dropped in his rush to throw his arms around Gellert.</p><p>The elf apparated everyone home without a word.  The house smelled pleasantly of mint, cinnamon and Christmas cookies.<br/>
"It's so good to be home," Blaise said, finally hugging his parents and Bramble in way of greeting.<br/>
"With Gellert here, this is going to be the best Christmas ever!"</p><p>"Bramble has asked Gellert about his favorite German holiday foods and he is adding them to our traditional dinner," the elf said proudly.<br/>
"That was very kind of Bramble indeed," Gellert said, honestly looking touched.<br/>
For his part, Bramble squirmed, looking uncomfortable.<br/>
"Bramble only hopes the dishes turn out right.  He's never made German holiday food before."<br/>
"Oh it'll be great.  I'm confident in Bramble's skills.  The sauerkraut and Bratwurst you made a few weeks ago were excellent," Gellert assured the elf.<br/>
"Bramble is glad," he said, giving Gellert a quick yet dignified bow.</p><p>"Bramble will go and unpack master Blaise's trunks now.," the elf said before hurrying away.<br/>
"Thanks," Blaise called after him.<br/>
"It's almost time for tea," Sabra said.<br/>
"Let's have it in the library.  Before you and Gellert proceed to sequester yourselves in your room your father and I would like to catch up," she told Blaise.</p><p>While they sat in the library waiting for tea, Blaise filled Sabra and Geo in on how things were at Hogwarts.  Gellert had given them updates after each weekend visit, of course, but they wanted Blaise's impressions.  Honestly this made him feel valued.  His parents had always cared about his opinion and listened to his thoughts, but now they truly treated him like an adult.  Granted one they could boss about but that would never change because adult or not he was always their child.  At least they treated Gellert the same way, and considering who he was, that was some consolation.</p><p>"Well if it means anything, we'll be just as glad for you to be out of there in June as you will," Sabra said.<br/>
"We did want you to finish out your education but not like this, having to learn from bloody Death Eaters."<br/>
"I hate it, but they're not really that impressive as individuals,"  Blaise told his parents.<br/>
He and Gellert exchanged an amused glance, both fondly recalling their time in Electo's wardrobe.</p><p>"Still.  They're individuals that serve Voldemort and who knows what information they could take it into their heads to share with him," Sabra fretted, twisting the chain about her neck that held the pendant Blaise and Gellert made for everyone to meat in their safe place if things went south.<br/>
"Which is why I keep my low profile as per usual.  They don't notice me," Blaise said.<br/>
"Which is hard to believe, because you're so dashing,"  Gellert said, tossing Blaise a warm smile.<br/>
"I hardly think I'm either of their type," Blaise said with a chuckle.<br/>
"Gods I hope not!"</p><p>Bramble came in then carrying a tea tray.  It held a steaming pot, four Santa shaped mugs, and a plate of thinly sliced gingerbread with cream cheese frosting.  A stack of small snowman plates sat on the edge of the tray to hold each person's slice of gingerbread. Bramble pored the tea and the smell of chocolate mint wafted to Blaise's nose.  Chocolate mint tea and ginger bread.  He leaned back in his chair with a contented sigh.  It was bloody good to be home, and the cozy holiday atmosphere was just what he needed.  Like a soothing ointment it served to melt away the stress of being at Hogwarts, literally surrounded by Voldemort's own.</p><p>"Snape is a real git, because he hates being headmaster too,"  he commented to his parents.<br/>
Leaning forward he took the plate and mug Bramble extended to him.<br/>
"Thanks, Bramble.  Aren't you having any?"<br/>
The elf shook his head.<br/>
"Bramble is still full from lunch and he wants to go over the holiday plans again to make sure things are properly arranged."<br/>
The elf finished serving tea and ginger bread then hurried out.</p><p> "That reminds me," Sabra said as Blaise took a sip of tea.<br/>
"Your father and I are taking a four day ski trip.  It's our romantic get-away holiday gift to ourselves.  We figured you and Gellert could hold down the fort here with Bramble while we're away.  You know, of course, not to go anywhere, because it probably isn't safe, but you may have people over if you like."<br/>
Turning to Gellert she added," And don't even think of saying that you're Grindelwald and have gotten away from worse, because that isn't precisely the point.  We don't want you noticed, remember."</p><p>Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Yes, Mam.  I wouldn't have said anything of the sort.  I don't think there is any place Blaise and I would rather be right now than home alone together."<br/>
"Too right,"Blaise agreed with a smile.<br/>
"Good then," Sabra said, giving a satisfied nod.  Gellert and Blaise spent the rest of the afternoon and evening with the parents, only going upstairs to be alone after dinner.  Though they definitely needed their physical urges satisfied in one another's arms, just being together in the warm holiday setting without projects to research had been nice.  Of course once in their room and out of their clothes things got even nicer very fast.</p><p>Waking in the morning in his familiar bedroom with Gellert's warm body snuggled against Blaise's own was amazing.  It made him really appreciate how important the things one took for granted could be when one was deprived of them.  Though the thought was probably a bit sappy, he supposed it was within the guidelines of having proper Christmas spirit. His Christmas spirit grew in leaps and bounds when Gellert murmured a lazy "Good morning" then slid completely under the blankets to take Blaise into his mouth.</p><p>Needless to say before the two of them were done with one another, they were over an hour late for breakfast.  Bramble had kept two plates warm for them without even a look of disapproval, though.  It truly was Christmas.  After breakfast the family decorated the tree together.  This was a tradition that Blaise could've taken or left before Gellert.  It was just alright in other words.  Now, though, it took on a magical, special nearly child-like feeling of holiday fun.  As Blaise hung ornaments with Gellert side by side, he recalled how much he'd enjoyed this process as a very young child.  It was special again now that he had Gellert to share it with.  Their hands touched as they each hung a snowflake at the same time, and they exchanged a happy smile.</p><p>"We got a special ornament for you, Gellert," Sabra said.<br/>
Geo's smile was nearly shy as he presented Gellert with a figurine of a horned furry figure holding a screaming child in one hand and a fist full of branches in the other.<br/>
"Krampus is so going to beat that kid's ass for being a prat," Blaise laughed happily.<br/>
He enjoyed imagining the child to be Malfoy.</p><p>Gellert grinned then went to hug Geo then Sabra.<br/>
"Danke," he told them, blue eyes full of unspoken emotion as he regarded the Krampus in his hand.<br/>
He looked as if he wanted to say more, but merely repeated his thanks.<br/>
"Danke."<br/>
"We're glad you like him,"  Sabra said warmly.<br/>
"Let's hang him beside Santa," Gellert said.<br/>
"They're friends, after all."<br/>
He did then Sabra insisted on family pictures around the tree.  She got a few of Blaise and Gellert hanging ornaments together, then several more of all five of them clustered around the tree.<br/>
"Bramble always looks so adorable in the holiday pictures," Sabra said with a chuckle as the relieved elf hurried away once they were done.<br/>
"Miserable you mean," Gellert asked, laughing.</p><p>After lunch Sabra and Geo left for their romantic ski trip, leaving the three boys home alone.  Blaise and Gellert roped Bramble into playing monopoly all evening and eventually the elf loosened up and even enjoyed himself.  In fact it was his idea to bring out the spiked eggnog.  Once alone in their room, Blaise and Gellert were up late into the night...literally, and slept in the next morning as one did on their holiday vacation.</p><p>When they came down for breakfast, Bramble had the entire downstairs of the house filled with the soft sound of cheerful Christmas music.  The two ate bangers and mash to the sounds of Jingle Bells and Santa Baby.  Afterward they relaxed in the parlor with a pot of Bramble's famous chocolate mint holiday tea.  It was nice simply to sit about idly and talk of this and that.  Neither cared much for small talk but with one another, it was always interesting which made it different.  As they sipped their tea, Gellert's eyes kept wandering to the large Christmas tree in the middle of the room.<br/>
"That's such a big tree...and though it does have a lot of gifts under it, there is still some room," he said, tone speculative.</p><p>"Alright,"  Blaise said, arching his brows as a grin played over his full lips.<br/>
Obviously Gellert was going somewhere with this festive line of thought, and he was curious.<br/>
"It's just that I think it would be fun to open a gift under that tree right now," Gellert said, leaning closer with a mischievous smile<br/>
"I consider your clothes to be wrapping, and all I want for Christmas is you."<br/>
Blaise laughed, leaning to kiss him.<br/>
"You're brilliant!  And hot!"</p><p>With a flick of his smoky quartz wand, Blaise placed two more logs on the fire so that the room would stay cozy while they were undressed.  Another flick of his wand and the door to the parlor was closed.  He knew Bramble would be wise enough to guess what that probably meant and not risk walking in.  Standing, he walked across the room and lay down right under the tree.  The smell of evergreen wafted into his face and one of the lower branches nearly tickled his nose.<br/>
"Well come and open your present," he told Gellert, breath coming faster with anticipation.</p><p>Gellert was at his side in a flash, but took his time removing Blaise's clothes.<br/>
"My turn," Blaise proclaimed, once he was completely undressed and Gellert took his place under the tree.<br/>
"You look so beautiful lying there like that," Blaise said, bending to kiss Gellert as he ran a hand appreciatively over the blonde curls that fanned out around his face on the holiday patterned rug.<br/>
Gellert's stunning beauty was something to which Blaise never grew truly accustomed, as it always took his breath away.  He slowly removed Gellert's clothes, and was settling down beside him when two ornaments caught his eye and an idea occurred.</p><p>The ornaments in question were a matching set and hung side by side on the lower branches of the tree.  Each had two parts connected by a ribbon.  One was two reindeer antlers and the other two plush snowman heads that looked like puffy snowballs.  Both were made of a soft plush like fabric and Blaise had a use for them in mind that he thought would be far more fun than just watching them hang there on the tree.</p><p>"How do you feel about decorating our balls for Christmas," he asked Gellert with a wide grin.<br/>
"I feel very festive about that," Gellert answered with a matching grin, his bright eyes dancing.<br/>
Blaise took down the reindeer antlers and the snowman heads, extending both to Gellert.<br/>
"You pick yours first."<br/>
Gellert happily took the antlers and used the ribbon to tie them around his balls.<br/>
"Beautiful," Blaise breathed, doing the same with the snowman heads.<br/>
"They make you look as if you have four balls," Gellert said, eyes heating with lust.<br/>
"All the more for me to pleasure, I say," he concluded, reaching to stroke between Blaise's legs just as the door swung open.</p><p> Rather than Bramble, the two elder Zabinis stood aghast in the doorway. Sabra made a wordless sound somewhere between a squawk and a choke.<br/>
"No way," Geo managed.<br/>
Though both looked as though they'd prefer to be literally anywhere else, both seemed frozen in place, gaping in disgusted horror at the festive sight before them.  For their parts, Blaise and Gellert were equally horrified as they stared back at the parents.</p><p>"But you weren't supposed to be home for three more days," Blaise objected when he could at last speak.<br/>
"The weather took a sudden turn for the worst.  Winter rain for three more days, so no skiing.  We thought it would be better to be back home with our boys than stuck in a cold rainy mountain cabin.  Holiday gloom wasn't our idea of romantic, but this just may be worse," Sabra proclaimed.<br/>
"You have defiled my tree and Christmas," she added dramatically when neither Blaise nor Gellert made a suitable or contrite apology.</p><p>"We are going to leave the room for two minutes. When next we return, you are to be dressed and those ornaments hung back on the tree," Geo said firmly.<br/>
"No on second thought, you just keep the ornaments," he corrected himself, making a face.<br/>
"We know where they have been, after all, and they are no longer suitable for the tree."<br/>
Expressions of horror still stamped on their faces, the parents exited.</p><p> "Talk about ruining the mood,"  Blaise complained.<br/>
"And our fun," Gellert agreed sulkily.<br/>
"Leave those snowmen on, though," he added, a wicked glint in his eyes.<br/>
"The parents did just give them to us, after all.  We can still have our festivities upstairs.  There isn't a tree, but we can transfigure something and make do."<br/>
Blaise hurriedly pulled on his clothes, pausing briefly to kiss Gellert.<br/>
"Brilliant idea."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0055"><h2>55. Jingle my bells</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"They're the ones who came home three days early, and they're suddenly going to make it our fault," Blaise complained.<br/>
The two hadn't dared to speak until they fled upstairs to their bedroom and the door was firmly shut.<br/>
"Well at least they gave us the Christmas ornaments," Gellert said with an amused grin.<br/>
Flicking his wand at the desk lamp, he transfigured it into a Christmas tree and made it grow until it's branches were bending over the bed.<br/>
"Festive," Blaise said happily, kissing him.<br/>
"It matches our balls."<br/>
Gellert laughed, tossing back his hair in a way that made Blaise's breath catch.</p><p>"Exactly!  I made that Christmas tree just for our balls!"<br/>
Gellert reached for Blaise's shirt, blue eyes twinkling.<br/>
"I get to unwrap my gift twice!  It prolongs the excitement."<br/>
Before long they were both unwrapped, aka undressed again, and lying on the bed, under the swaying branches of Gellert's transfigured Christmas tree.</p><p>"I believe this is where we were before we were traumatized," Gellert said, a smile playing around his lips.<br/>
Snuggling close to Blaise, he put his head on the other wizard's shoulder and reached to toy with the fluffy snowman heads tied to his shapely balls.  Cupping the snowmen and Blaise's balls together, he rolled them in his hand, enjoying the texture of Blaise's warm flesh combined with the puffy plush of the Christmas ornaments.  Blaise made a wordless sound as he arched against Gellert's hand.</p><p>Blaise got bored so easily as a general rule, but Gellert never failed to thoroughly excite him with a single touch.  Just now the way Gellert was cupping his balls with the fuzzy snowman ornaments was causing him to lose his mind. Raising up on one elbow, he kissed Gellert hungrily, toying with the antler ornaments on his balls.<br/>
"I think I want to make Rudolph's nose all red and runny," he said.<br/>
Gellert barked a laugh at the idea of his erection serving as Rudolph's red nose.<br/>
"Yes he really does need to sneeze," he said eagerly.</p><p>When Blaise drew him into his mouth, Gellert's gaze locked on the branches of the transfigured tree above them.  As he drew him in and out of his mouth, Blaise began to hum the tune to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  The delicious vibration that caused felt amazing.  As he arched, spilling himself into the beautiful dark haired wizard's mouth, Gellert truly understood the concept of a Christmas miracle.</p><p>"Thank you, Santa," Gellert said breathlessly, as Blaise slowly slid his spent member out of his mouth.<br/>
"Or is it Frosty?"<br/>
"YOU may call me anything you like and I'll answer," Blaise said with a low chuckle.  Kissing his way up Gellert's body he reached for the tube of cream on the table beside the bed.  Before he could use it, Gellert took it from his hand and covered Blaise's erection, stroking and teasing.  Wishing they had a bit of wine to ad to their upstairs festivities, Blaise conjured a bottle from the kitchen, for once not bothering with glasses.  He apparated the cork out of the bottle with a festive pop and took a swig before passing it to Gellert.  Gellert took a swig from the bottle, then placed it on the bedside table beside the water pitcher.</p><p>"Your lips are red from the wine,"  Blaise murmured as Gellert continued to stroke his erection.<br/>
"Just like Snow White, such fair skin and red lips.  You are beautiful."</p><p>"If I am Snow White, then that makes you my Prince charming," Gellert observed with a merry smile.<br/>
He'd always been so strong and independent, but in truth Blaise had rescued him from a prison and given him a fairytale he hadn't even realized he wanted.  And now, Prince Charming was covering his hand with cream and stroking Gellert's slowly rising erection to full attention.<br/>
"We make two grand princes," Blaise said, eyes locking on Gellert's as they stroked one another.<br/>
"We could rule the world if we wanted," Gellert agreed.<br/>
"But will we bother?"</p><p>Blaise shrugged.<br/>
"Time will tell, I suppose,"  he said, cupping Gellert's balls with his free hand.<br/>
The antlers still hung merrily there as did Blaise's own snowman heads on his.<br/>
"Now," Gellert gasped."Inside of me now."<br/>
"Yes," Blaise said, always glad to oblige.</p><p>As they moved together on the bed, mouths tangled in a dance of lust and tasting like wine, Gellert felt the snowmen on Blaise's balls tickling him as they bounced with their thrusts.  Gods but he loved Christmas!  As the pleasure built he arched under Blaise.  When Blaise raised himself on one arm to pump Gellert's erection with his free hand, Gellert shouted as he spilled over them both.  Blaise drove into him a final time, head thrown back as he shouted Gellert's name.  His long neck was slender and graceful and Gellert loved kissing it.  Drawing Blaise back down on top of him, he began to do just that.</p><p>Later when they went down to dinner, they were greeted by three expressions of shocked disapproval.<br/>
"Come on," Blaise complained.<br/>
"We're dressed now."</p><p>"Some things can't be unseen, EVER,"  Sabra told him dramatically.<br/>
"Bramble is just glad he missed it," the elf said with a shudder.<br/>
"We truly are sorry," Gellert said contritely.<br/>
"Truly," Blaise echoed, trying to keep his lips from twitching up at the corners as he spoke.<br/>
"Honestly we never would've done that had we known you were coming home three days early."</p><p>"My tree would've still been defiled," Sabra said.<br/>
"You were going to just put those ornaments back up there!  That is disgusting."<br/>
Gellert flushed and ducked his head.<br/>
"Sorry."<br/>
"Well we certainly can't say that the two of you aren't creative together," Geo said with a laugh, shaking his head.<br/>
Gellert grinned.<br/>
"Thank you, Sir."</p><p>The next day the family went to see The Nutcracker.  The dancers were also very skilled wizards so the performance was truly magical.  The sugar plum fairies were real fairies and the mice real mice.  The dolls were even real dolls spelled to move and dance.  As they watched, Blaise and Gellert exchanged happy glances, glad to be sharing this magical holiday moment together.</p><p>The next day there was a holiday party at Wolfgang's with lots of German food and good vodka.  It was actually called Modka, the brand was magical and got you drunk with no hangover.  Wolfgang had it imported.  It was good that the Modka flowed rather than ordinary Vodka else Blaise and Gellert would've been very hung over the next day.</p><p>Bramble enjoyed trying the various German foods so he would know how they were supposed to taste when he tried making them.  The elf was still nervous in spite of Gellert's encouragement's.  Both Gellert and Blaise found this baffling, because Bramble always excelled at anything he tried.  He spent much of the party nibbling at this and that German dish and asking Gellert what his favorites were for future reference.  At one point, in which Bramble was asking Gellert if he preferred duck or goose for a main dish, Blaise caught sight of Millicent standing by and watching on in open amusement.</p><p>"So how are you liking married life, Prat," Blaise asked, pushing Millicent good-naturedly in the shoulder.<br/>
She turned to him with a radiant smile.<br/>
"I'm liking it quite a lot.  I find I very much enjoy being all grown up," she said.<br/>
The straight proud way she carried herself and the way her skin and hair practically glowed, made Blaise think married life most definitely agreed with her.<br/>
"I heard about the current fuckery at Hogwarts," she said with a shudder.<br/>
"And Gellert told me you shagged in one of their wardrobes. Good on you, Perverts!"<br/>
She laughed.</p><p>"That was cool enough but nothing beats them shagging on the staff table," Kereston said, walking up to where they stood with a piece of stollen in one hand.<br/>
The German Christmas dessert was delicious and the sight of it had Blaise reaching for a second slice of his own.<br/>
"Eat another with me, will you," he implored, pushing one into Gellert's hand.<br/>
"Eating alone is far worse than drinking alone."<br/>
Gellert laughed merrily as he took the stollen.<br/>
"I promise never to leave you alone, My boy!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0056"><h2>56. Who Else Finds Christmas Pizza To Be Sexy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The days passed far too swiftly for Blaise's liking.  The constant easy joy he found in Gellert's company, coupled with their quick and deep emotional attachment to one another made him dread having to separate again when it was time to return to Hogwarts.</p><p>"After this bloody year, I vow never to spend another night separated from you," he promised one night when they lay spent, Gellert still collapsed atop him.<br/>
"Good," Gellert replied, kissing his shoulder.<br/>
The day before Christmas eve the family went to Italy.  They always spent Christmas eve with Geo's parents and arrived a day early so that Geo could visit with some of his childhood friends while in the area.</p><p>They arrived in the late afternoon as Geo and Sabra had dinner plans with friends that night.  Blaise's Italian grandparents spoke very little English, but greeted Gellert warmly with hugs and handshakes.  The appetizing smell of pizza permeated the entire large comfortable looking house.<br/>
"I assume we're having pizza for dinner, then,"  Gellert murmured to Blaise.<br/>
The smell was making his stomach rumble.</p><p>Blaise shook his head.<br/>
"No.  The pizza is traditional Christmas eve dinner with this side of the family," he explained.<br/>
"It's a special pizza."<br/>
Turning to his Grandmother, he spoke in rapid Italian then turned back to Gellert.<br/>
"Tonight it's spaghetti with clam sauce. I'll have to teach you some Italian,"  he added with an amused grin.</p><p>Gellert nodded eagerly, both for the meal, which sounded delightful, and the Italian lessons.<br/>
"That sounds wonderful."<br/>
He and Blaise enjoyed a glass of wine in the library while they waited for dinner.  Blaise taught him some basic phrases in Italian and then had Gellert teach him the same ones in German.<br/>
"I'd love to know what it is you're saying to me in German sometimes when we're shagging," Blaise said with a teasing grin.<br/>
"It's hot.  Perhaps I want to say it to you as well."</p><p>Gellert chuckled, flushing.<br/>
"I have no idea what I say," he said honestly.<br/>
"Well if I were in any condition to remember, I'd repeat it to you, because I'd really like to know," Blaise said with a laugh.<br/>
During dinner, Blaise's Nonna joked about how Blaise and Gellert were handsome enough to break all the female hearts in Italy, and offered to help find them wives.  Both were shocked that she nor Blaise's il nonnino appeared to have picked up that they were a couple.  Granted they were polite enough not to kiss and such, but they didn't do that in front of Blaise's parents either unless they were parting or greeting one another when Blaise came or went from Hogwarts.  PDA's just didn't seem polite in front of parents or Italian grandparents.  Even the two insisting on sharing a room, when there were plenty available, didn't seem to ring any bells.</p><p>Blaise and Gellert found the cluelessness of the grandparents amusing and quaint rather than offensive.  After dinner, Blaise spent a few hours translating a conversation between Gellert and his grandparents as well as answering all their questions about his year at Hogwarts and the influence Voldemort had over the school.  They sympathized over Gellert's time in Nurmengard which Blaise appreciated, and eagerly questioned the German about his future plans.  When Gellert expressed no interest in picking up where he'd left off due to the vast increase in Muggle population and technology, the elder Zabinis only seemed a little disappointed.  When Blaise and Gellert at last went up to bed, Sabra and Geo weren't yet back from their night out with Geo's boyhood friends.</p><p>"What have you learned of Muggle technology," Blaise asked curiously as they entered the bedroom he always used when visiting his Italian side of the family.<br/>
"Millicent and Wolfgang have come to visit a few times while you were at Hogwarts," Gellert said.<br/>
"Wolfgang wanted me to try improving some wards he had set up in Knockturn alley to recognize anyone sporting a dark mark then alert him to whom they belong.  That is a bit of a work in progress, but I think we've nearly got it perfected.  At any rate, Millicent brought over her Muggle computer to show me the...Internet.  I do not see what makes it a net, so have come to the conclusion that the name is based on Muggle stupidity rather than any sort of netting system."</p><p>Blaise chuckled.<br/>
"That sounds logical," he agreed.<br/>
"All I know about it is that Millicent uses it to steal gold from Muggle bank accounts around the world and transfer it into a London account which she then deposits into Gringotts."<br/>
Gellert smiled.<br/>
"Yes.  At least she has the decency to use their technology to steal from them."</p><p>Blaise and Gellert made an effort to be quiet during their shagging so as not to disturb the family.  So exhausting was their effort that they passed out nearly as soon as they explosively and almost silently finished together.  As a result of too much food and wine, they woke in the middle of the night, both in need of a drink of water.  Unlike at home there was no water pitcher from Bramble on the bedside table, but also unlike at home, their was no power hungry elf that wouldn't allow them into the kitchen to get their own.  The jolly little fat elf who worked for Blaise's grandparents, Roberto, didn't care who went into his kitchen.</p><p>Tossing on robes and nothing else, the two tiptoed down the thickly carpeted stairs and holding hands made their careful way to the kitchen in the dark.  Fortunately there was a soft light filling the kitchen with a dim glow, likely in case anyone needed to come down for a middle of the night drink or snack.<br/>
"Look," Gellert breathed as Blaise went for the row of china water glasses above the sink.<br/>
"What," he asked, glancing round.<br/>
"I have NEVER seen such a gigantic pizza in my life," Gellert said, keeping his amazed tone hushed so as not to risk waking anyone.<br/>
"That is amazing!"</p><p>Blaise grinned as his gaze fell on the large round table in the middle of the kitchen.  It was large enough to seat thirty-six people and the pizza that sat upon it was exactly as large as the table itself.<br/>
"It's supposed to feed our entire family tomorrow. Aunts, uncles, cousins, we have a large family."<br/>
"Not several pizzas, though, but one gigantic pizza," Gellert breathed, blue eyes round in amazement.<br/>
"In all my years, I've never seen a pizza that large!"<br/>
Blaise chuckled.  Gellert's appreciation of the pizza was surprising, but adorable.  He filled two glasses with water and passed one to the blonde.  Though Gellert took the glass, his attention was still riveted on the pizza.</p><p>"That pizza is absolutely sexy," Gellert said.<br/>
"Are those clams on it? And calamari?"<br/>
Blaise nodded.<br/>
"Yeah but if we eat any of it tonight, we'll be in for it.  If you're hungry, we can scrounge around for something else."<br/>
"No. Not hungry," Gellert assured.<br/>
"At least not in the way you're thinking."<br/>
He moved closer, and Blaise felt the corners of his mouth twitching up at the sparkle in Gellert's eyes, because it promised trouble in the best of ways.<br/>
"Well," he asked expectantly.<br/>
Gellert grinned.<br/>
"How do you feel about shagging on it?"</p><p>Blaise laughed, then clapped a hand over his mouth, because the sound had been far louder than he'd intended.<br/>
"It's just so big," Gellert exclaimed.<br/>
"You want to shag on the pizza!"<br/>
"Yes."<br/>
Blaise put down his water glass and dropped his robe to the floor, feeling himself growing hard in anticipation of Gellert's touch.  His erection didn't care if they shagged on a pizza or a bed.  In fact it would be willing to shag Gellert anywhere that wasn't life threatening and perhaps somewhere that was.</p><p>"Do you want to be on top or on the pizza," Blaise asked as Gellert's robe joined his on the kitchen floor.<br/>
This is your brain child, after all, so it's completely about you."<br/>
"I want to be on the pizza," Gellert said, then approaching the table, carefully leaned backward until he was lying flat on his back in the center of the pizza.</p><p>Blaise extended a hand and conjured their tube of cream from upstairs.  Moving to the table, he carefully slathered Gellert's erection with cream, then his own, making sure not to get any on the pizza.  Though considering what they were about to do, he honestly didn't know why he bothered.  Reading his expression, Gellert gave a soft chuckle.<br/>
"At least the pizza was made with white sauce, so nothing will show," he said happily.<br/>
For the second time that night, Blaise had to slam a hand over his mouth to muffle a loud laugh.</p><p>He carefully joined Gellert on the table, placing his body over Gellert's own rather than on the pizza.  Sliding inside of him felt like heaven and he kissed Gellert deeply to muffle a groan.  Not wishing to repeat the tree incident in which the parents had walked in on them, both tried to rush their pleasure, arching together, driving one another hard toward completion.  Gellert threw back his head, arching up as he spilled his white sauce over both of them.  Blaise groaned again, feeling himself explode inside of Gellert's tight warmth.<br/>
"Gods that was good," he managed.<br/>
"So good," Gellert agreed.</p><p>The next morning, both couldn't help but smirk as they looked at the pizza.  Because they'd done everything to one another under the sun, they didn't mind eating it later with the family either.  After Christmas Eve dinner there were gifts.  Blaise and Gellert had made the grandparents an alarm for their house that would stun anyone breaking in until someone who lived in the house unstunned them.  This prevented a burglar escaping.</p><p> Everyone in the family was properly impressed with their work as was only fitting.  Blaise was given a new black and green suit and Gellert was presented with a set of antique cufflinks from Blaise's il nonnino.  The cufflinks held tiny enchanted throwing daggers spelled to kill their target.  Gellert moved to embrace Blaise's grandfather, an openly touched and humbled expression on his face.  The old wizard spoke in Italian as he patted Gellert's shoulder.<br/>
"He says, he is honored for the opportunity to give a Christmas gift to Gellert Grindelwald," Blaise said with a pleased smile.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0057"><h2>57. A Merry Christmas and a Happy Newyear!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the morning,, they were off to Sabra's side of the family for Christmas day even before breakfast. Gellert had no idea what to expect, but as they were back in England, he at least knew there would be fluent English spoken. The Stuyvesant manor was elegant and spacious, two qualities that helped Gellert to feel comfortable right away. Sabra's parents were an interesting mix of formal and relaxed. They congratulated him on his 'release' from Nurmengard and thanked him for what he was doing to help against Voldemort. This served to gratify him on one hand, and gall him on the other because due to the blasted prophecy he was truly limited in what he could do against the ridiculous current dark lord. He admitted this while thanking them. This led to an interesting discussion shared by all present about prophecies over Christmas breakfast.</p><p>Breakfast consisted of holiday blintzes stuffed with cranberries, dried fig and chopped walnuts with Bavarian cream, topped with cinnamon. The family's house elf was dressed as Santa, and was very friendly and cheerful. He made an amusing contrast to the overly serious Bramble who sat beside Geo, carefully eating a fully stuffed blintz. The most interesting member of the family was Blaise's uncle, Sabra's brother Basilio. He was tall like Blaise but slightly more muscular. Unlike Sabra and her blonde father, her mother and Basilio both had dark brown hair.</p><p>Upon introduction, Basilio described himself as a confirmed wanderlust addict and thrill seeker, and Gellert liked him at once.<br/>
"You and Blaise man," Basilio stated expansively after polishing off his second blintz.<br/>
"I mean I'd not know what to think were it any other bloke, cause he used to like the girls, but you're Grindelwald...so I'm down!"</p><p>By that point, Gellert, Basilio, Blaise, Geo, and Bramble were the only ones left stuffing themselves at the table.<br/>
"I agree," Gellert said with a wide grin.<br/>
"I am the best ever. Do I get to call you uncle Bas?"<br/>
Basilio laughed, giving his head an incredulous shake. "Sure. Why the hell not? You're only nearly three times my age, but what the hell. It'll be fun!"</p><p>"These days, I'm as old as I look, which is something I plan to enjoy to the fullest," Gellert proclaimed.<br/>
"I bet so," Basilio agreed.<br/>
"That's certainly a brilliant potion that Mr. Adler came across. I may want to borrow that scroll my damn self when the years start creeping up on me."<br/>
"Won't we all," Geo laughed.</p><p>While they waited for Christmas lunch, Basilio regaled Gellert and Blaise with stories of his most recent travels.<br/>
"I just got paid a shit-ton for removing the scales and skin from a recently dead dragon. The bloke that paid me plans to make purses out of the stuff and boots and who knows what else."<br/>
"It wasn't terribly dangerous if the dragon was dead, was it," Blaise asked.<br/>
Glancing at Gellert he clarified, "Just for uncle Basilio this seems rather a tame and risk free venture."</p><p>Basilio chuckled.<br/>
"I mean...THAT dragon was dead, and even of natural causes, but its mate and children were still quite alive."<br/>
"Ah," Blaise said, nodding.<br/>
"Now that sounds about right."<br/>
"So you put the others to sleep then," Gellert speculated, eyes alight with intrigued anticipation of a good story.<br/>
He wasn't disappointed.<br/>
"No," Basilio said, leaning back in his chair and sprawling his long legs out in front of him.<br/>
"I just fed them...A lot...So they were busy eating nice fire roasted pigs and I didn't seem nearly so interesting."</p><p>After a delicious lunch of turkey, chestnut dressing, roast vegetables and figgy pudding, gifts were exchanged. Blaise and Gellert gave Sabra's parents the same enchanted home alarm that they'd given to Geo's parents and it went over just as well. Blaise and Gellert both received soft red and green holiday sweaters made of cashmere, and boxes of German chocolates.</p><p>Gellert found it charming that the grandparents gave he and Blaise matching gifts. Sabra, on the other hand, frowned over them having yet more things to wear that matched. She did so hate their matching coats, and neither Gellert nor Blaise understood why she found it so repugnant.<br/>
"We will wear them often for the holiday season next year," Gellert promised Sabra's parents happily, and Blaise nodded.<br/>
They really were nice sweaters, not those tacky looking Christmas sweaters so many idiots wore. They were patterned in tasteful holly and ivy and had an obvious expensive feel.</p><p>The festivities were concluded with a festive glass of holiday mint brandy for everyone, then the Zabinis went home for their own Christmas celebration.<br/>
"Why does Bramble bother to make Christmas dinner when you eat holiday meals with the other two families," Gellert asked Blaise.<br/>
The two were relaxing in the library with chocolate mint tea while awaiting said dinner.</p><p>"Because the first holiday dinner was in Italy last night, and the next today at lunch," Blaise said, tossing Gellert his usual slow lazy grin.<br/>
"Trust me, in a few hours, you'll be hungry again, and as it's still Christmas, it's only suitable that we stuff ourselves with yet more holiday food."<br/>
"I can't argue with that logic," Gellert said, laughing.<br/>
"Then there are the left overs," Blaise added eagerly.<br/>
"Those are always the best. If you only eat with others, you have no left overs."</p><p>Gellert's great aunt hadn't ever really made a huge fuss over the holidays. There were a few festive dishes and gifts, but this year, with the family togetherness and variety of festive traditions and vast amounts of food, Gellert appreciated the holiday season far more than he ever expected. Sabra and Geo joined them in the library and they chatted over tea, then there was more holiday brandy.</p><p>Gellert was almost surprised at how easily he fit into the family and how comfortable he felt with them. It was so natural, though, that it felt right. He wasn't a leader, and nor was he a prisoner. He was a valued member of a family, and though it was a new experience, he'd gotten accustom to it quickly, and it was something he'd just as quickly come to treasure as another aspect of who he was. For that reason, he wasn't overly surprised that he'd fit into the family dynamic of the grandparents cousins and so on just as well. Everyone had accepted him, and there wasn't even one moment of discomfort.</p><p>Of course both sides of Blaise's family had darker leanings, but Gellert still hadn't been sure how they would receive him. They were all so warm, that now he found himself thinking of them as family as well. Of course his emotional expansiveness could've stemmed from the brandy, but he thought the brandy served as more of an enhancement to make him aware of these feelings instead</p><p>His warm fuzzy feelings only grew at dinner. Half of the dishes were German, and Bramble had out done himself.<br/>
"This is all so amazing, Bramble! I truly mean it. I want to hug you right now," he told the elf, giving him a grateful smile.</p><p>Bramble's research into Christmas German food was obvious and touching.<br/>
"Bramble doesn't do hugs unless he really must, but he is glad that Gellert is pleased," the elf said gravely, but when Gellert pretended to glance away, Bramble's grin lit up his entire face.<br/>
Gellert decided to show his appreciation by stuffing himself full of Christmas goose and all the trimmings, which was quite enjoyable, he had to admit.</p><p>After dinner, the family gathered around the Christmas tree to exchange gifts. Blaise and Gellert gifted the parents with spiderweb pendants. They were enchanted in a similar fashion to Blaise and Gellert's web and hollows pendants. Sabra and Geo would always be able to get to one another no matter what happened by using the pendants. They'd had to make those over the holiday break with hair from Sabra and Geo's brushes to do the linking charm so the project had involved a bit of sneaking about.</p><p>They got Bramble a gift box of snacks from around the world.<br/>
"We thought you should have some treats you didn't have to make," Blaise explained, and Bramble nodded, grinning down at the festively colored snack box.<br/>
"Bramble looks forward to trying them all. He thanks Gellert and Master Blaise very much," the elf proclaimed earnestly.</p><p>Geo and Sabra gave Blaise, Gellert and Bramble warm fur lined winter boots of shiny black leather and each also got a heavy purse of gold.<br/>
"Parents are great," Gellert observed with a laugh, hugging them both.<br/>
Bramble presented everyone with warm black cashmere hats.<br/>
"Bramble enchanted them to remain warm and cozy, so ears will never be cold in the winter wind," he said proudly.<br/>
"Impressive," Gellert murmured, turning the soft hat around and around in his hands.<br/>
"I don't even see the charm but it feels very warm just holding it. Elf magic is interesting indeed. Thank you, Bramble!"<br/>
He grinned.<br/>
"Now may I hug you?"<br/>
Bramble gave a long suffering sigh, but nodded.<br/>
"If Gellert must, he must. It is Christmas, After all."</p><p>The next get together happened, as could be expected, on Newyears Eve. There was a party at Wolfgangs, and the family was invited. As it started at eight in the evening, Kreacher and Regulus were also present. Gellert took the opportunity to pick the brains of the vampire and his elf regarding Voldemort. He'd gotten plenty of impressions from Severus and his owl, but more could never hurt just in case he got inspired. More than new ideas, though, he got an uneasy feeling the more Kreacher and Regulus recounted their story...Because to Gellert's mind it was full of holes. Even more strange than that, he didn't believe the two were lying, so it was a quandary indeed.</p><p>It was Newyears Eve, though, so he'd consider it more thoroughly later and see what he could come up with, Gellert decided. Severus arrived then with Mag and Nightshade, so Gellert wandered over to ask how things were. Fortunately Voldemort had no plans to ruin the Holidays, at least none of which Severus was aware. Kereston chatted up Blaise and Gellert, exchanging Christmas details while they snacked on cheese cubes and chocolate covered strawberries.</p><p>As midnight approached, Wolfgang passed around glasses of Champaign. Bramble set off magical streamers into the air as everyone counted down, and as nineteen-ninety-eight rang in, couples drew close to kiss. Before he became lost to Blaise's own embrace, Gellert noticed Severus and Mag clinging together beside Millicent and Wolfgang and...Kreacher and Regulus? Well it was no bloody business of his even if it was extremely strange.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0058"><h2>58. Spring Has Sprung</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Returning to Hogwarts after the winter festivities was nearly unbearable for Blaise.  Even the Hogwarts food that he usually enjoyed seemed bland after Bramble's German potato dumplings and German apple and sausage stuffing.  Of course he was self aware enough to know that all this symbolized his missing Gellert, and he was counting down the days until spring break when they would have two more glorious uninterrupted weeks together.</p><p>They still met every other weekend to work, and their current project was the magical hand grenades.  Those turned into something more along the lines of explosive stunners, because they didn't have enough time to ensure that deadly explosives wouldn't kill friends as well as enemies in close battle confines.  Stunner grenades were far safer. If they hit a friend, the effects could easily be nullified.  Once thrown, one could explode and stun several people if directed at a group.  That wasn't as good as killing them, but if they needed to be dead, one could always attend to that while they were stunned.</p><p>Each grenade took some time to craft, so Blaise and Gellert always had something to do on their weekend rendezvous other than one another.  Of course they made plenty of time for that too.  Parting was never easy for either of them, though, so in that sense, perhaps their was never enough time.</p><p>When Spring break at last rolled around, even the train ride seemed to take forever.  Blaise found it difficult to concentrate on the book he was reading on how to unravel enchantments, at times having to read the same page more than once when his focus wandered to wishing he was already at home with Gellert.  When the train at last drew into King's cross station he nearly rudely pushed his way off through the throngs of students almost as eager as he to be home for two weeks.  As had been the case on Christmas break, Blaise's entire family was waiting for him on the platform.  He'd already come to think of Gellert as part of that family. It was as natural as the easy comfortable way Gellert stood with the rest of them, a little in front of Sabra and between Geo and Bramble.  They all watched eagerly as students pored onto the platform, faces lighting up when they caught sight of Blaise  Bramble hurriedly moved to deal with Blaise's trunks and with a wordless sound of happiness, Blaise threw himself at Gellert for a long embrace.</p><p>"One would not think the two of you see one another every other weekend," Sabra said with a slight frown and exasperated roll of her eyes.<br/>
"It feels like ages, though," Blaise told her, and Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Truly it does," he agreed as he clung to Blaise.<br/>
With a gesture, Bramble apparated them home.<br/>
"Don't even bother letting go of one another," the elf said tartly, and Gellert grinned.<br/>
"Don't mind at all if we do...or don't...Thank you, Bramble, for being so understanding."</p><p>Bramble growled something unintelligible and Gellert laughed happily.<br/>
He seemed to enjoy playfully riling the elf, Blaise noticed with an amused smile.  Gellert Grindelwald was a brave man.<br/>
"The funeral will be in less than a month, so we're working on final plans if you'd like to participate,"  Geo told Blaise.<br/>
Bramble had apparated them into the library, and Geo moved over to the desk that was currently covered in funeral catalogs.<br/>
"We finally settled on the coffin, the flowers, the somber music, and even the minister.  I think he practices necromancy so that'll look properly dark.  We've only to choose my burial suit."</p><p>"I think we've narrowed it down to four choices,"  Gellert said.<br/>
"That's right," Geo nodded.<br/>
"What do you think, Sabra, the dark brown or the black, or the other black or the black silk one," he asked.<br/>
Sabra shrugged, pouting slightly as she wandered over to the sideboard for a drink.<br/>
"Who cares?  You never listen to my suggestions, and you and Gellert just do what you want.  So just go on and continue with that as it appears to be working for you."</p><p>"That's not true," Geo insisted.<br/>
"We let you pick the flowers."<br/>
Blaise grasped Gellert's arm at that and wordlessly apparated them upstairs to their bedroom.<br/>
"Oh hell no," he said with a laugh.<br/>
"They'll be bickering for hours and we don't want to get caught in the middle.  And trust me if we stuck around, we would be dragged into it for sure!"</p><p>Gellert laughed incredulously.<br/>
"You can't be serious!  They'd really fight about who got to choose what?"<br/>
Blaise sighed.<br/>
"Sort of.  It's more like who rejected who's idea.  It really gets ridiculous, I'm telling you!"<br/>
Gellert laughed again.<br/>
"But WHY?"<br/>
Blaise shook his head.<br/>
"Because they're bloody insane.  Didn't you get the memo?"<br/>
But the grin that accompanied his words was a fond one, because he really did love his parents.</p><p> "Well the longer they're occupied with that, the more time we have to ourselves," Gellert said, reaching for Blaise.<br/>
"Damn right," Blaise agreed.<br/>
"We've got to celebrate spring break."<br/>
Placing Gellert's hand on the rapidly growing bulge between his legs he added,"It appears that Spring has sprung, after all."<br/>
Gellert gave a low chuckle as his hand began to massage."Indeed it has."</p><p>The next day Kereston came over for lunch.  While they ate she begged Sabra to allow them to go book shopping for a bit if they promised to be careful.<br/>
"I've not gotten to see Blaise much this year at all and Gellert not much more than that," the little blonde pleaded.<br/>
"I'm using one of my days off at the Ministry.  Please!"<br/>
Sabra relented with a sigh.<br/>
"Fine.  But don't be gone longer than two hours or I'll worry.  Voldemort is out there, you know."<br/>
"I doubt he'll be at the book shop and as we're having lunch here, I promise we won't go anywhere else," Kereston said.</p><p>"We certainly won't," Gellert promised.<br/>
"I don't want any of that nasty Muggle food Kereston takes such a grotesque pleasure in stuffing herself with."<br/>
"Oh don't be a prat," Kereston told him dismissively.<br/>
"Kereston really shouldn't ask for the impossible," Bramble said.<br/>
"Never discourage a dreamer, Bramble," Gellert said with a wink.</p><p> </p><p>After lunch Kereston, Blaise, and Gellert apparated to Knockturn alley.<br/>
"I want to check out the Ancient Nook first," Kereston said, hurrying toward the end of the alley where it was darkest.<br/>
The Nook wasn't the most popular book shop in Knockturn alley because it was the smallest, but it often got in the most unusual finds.  Blaise told Gellert as much as they walked side by side behind Kereston.  Their pace was more dignified than the little blonde's eager hurried strides.</p><p> </p><p>"Sounds like my kind of place," Gellert said.<br/>
A muttering off to the right of them drew their attention before Blaise could speak again.  A hag seemed to be talking to herself as she hurried down the sidewalk a few paces to the right of them.<br/>
"One of Millicent's aunts, do you think," Gellert murmured gleefully to Blaise, nodding at the hag.<br/>
Blaise chuckled and the hag whirled to squint at Gellert through beady eyes.</p><p>Blaise's eyes widened in surprise as the Hag suddenly rushed toward Gellert.  Her hands stretched out before her and gnarled bony fingers clawed the air.<br/>
"I'll cook you right up for laughing at me, boy.  You'll see what's funny then," she cackled.<br/>
Gellert grinned and flicked the air with his fingers as if brushing away an annoying fly, but the hag's pace didn't slow.  At that, Gellert's eyes widened slightly in surprise and he drew his wand, shooting a stunner at the hag who was not at all stunned because she kept coming.  This forced Blaise and Gellert to speed up their own pace to avoid brawling with a hag in the middle of Knockturn Alley.<br/>
"Put you in a stew I will," the hag insisted and scowling Gellert flicked his wand at a heavy stone on the ground, sending it spinning toward the hag's straggly haired head.</p><p> The stone fell far short, and Gellert let out a German expletive in baffled frustration.  As the hag kept relentlessly coming at them, Gellert grasped Blaise's hand and fled down the alley.  Blaise was too shocked and confused by whatever had just happened to do anything but go along.  When they reached Kereston, she was about to enter the book shop.  Gellert's free hand shot out to grasp her shoulder and they apparated away with a crack.</p><p>"What in the world," Kereston demanded.<br/>
They stood in the middle of the Zabini's library, and both Gellert and Blaise were winded.  Gellert peered around with wild eyes to make sure the hag hadn't somehow managed to follow along.<br/>
"What happened," Sabra exclaimed, her own eyes nearly as wild as Gellert's as she sprang up from the sofa.<br/>
"I'm afraid I don't know," Gellert complained, answering both Sabra and Kereston.<br/>
"That hag wouldn't stop chasing us and nothing I did touched her.  All my spells just bounced off or rather never seemed to make it to her in the first place!"</p><p> "A hag was after you,"  Sabra asked, attempting to understand.<br/>
"Why didn't you just kill it," Geo asked.<br/>
"Because I didn't want to draw attention to myself by using magic the bloody Ministry would notice," Gellert said, answering Geo first.<br/>
"I suppose I may have offended it by calling it Millicent's aunt," he added to Sabra.<br/>
"Do you think it could actually know Millicent to be offended?"</p><p>Kereston giggled.<br/>
"Who knows what offends hags," Sabra said.<br/>
"Why did you have to talk to it?"<br/>
"That's just it.  I didn't.  I whispered the comment to Blaise," Gellert protested.<br/>
"And no spell I cast worked on it!  I've never seen anything like that.  Hags don't have much power at all, so how that happened I have no idea!"</p><p>"Hags can brew potions, though," Sabra said.<br/>
"She may have made a potion, that when ingested, put a sort of deflective antimagical forcefield around her.  It would allow her to hunt magical children to eat and they wouldn't be able to use spells to protect themselves."<br/>
"She did mention wanting to put him into a stew," Blaise said.<br/>
Gellert nodded thoughtfully.<br/>
"I suppose it did seem a bit like deflection," he agreed, mind returning to the way his spells had behaved when he'd attempted to push the hag back, then to entangle her feet then to finally stun her.</p><p>"Is Gellert really saying he actually ran from a hag," Bramble asked with a laugh.<br/>
Gellert scowled."Well nothing was working and Mum said not to draw attention to us so...yes I suppose I did, but I didn't want her grabbing onto us and ending up here when we apparated."<br/>
Bramble was still laughing, but Gellert didn't miss the pleased smile on Sabra's face when he accidentally called her Mum.  It nearly made the fact that he'd just run from a hag worth it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0059"><h2>59. The dark art of giving people what they want</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blaise and Gellert stayed home for the rest of spring break, mainly to please the parents and keep out of trouble for the time being.  They were in the home stretch of their Hogwarts enforced separation, after all.  In a few months, it would be over, leaving the two free to travel and do as they liked so long as Gellert remained under the radar to avoid detection.  When not researching various forms of complex enchantments, the two were helping Geo with last minute funeral plans or having alone time aka shagging.</p><p> When Blaise returned to Hogwarts, he was impatient to have the rest of the school year over with.  As was his way, he didn't bother to study for his N.E.W.T.s because the prospect was too boring and tedious.  He always passed with high marks without studying anyway.  Studying would've likely allowed him to skip a grade or two during his earlier years at Hogwarts, and had he done that, he'd be free and with Gellert now.  As that ship had sailed, though, studying was pointless.  Instead he spent his spare time outlining new ideas for enchanted objects that he and Gellert could work on later or capping some ideas Gellert had put into practice, some even a century earlier.</p><p>Blaise called it capping an idea of Gellert's when he used something Gellert had come up with as a base and added dimension to it in some way.  Thinking about Gellert's work made him feel closer to the other wizard when they couldn't be together.  Silly he knew, and perhaps even weak, but there it was.  Over both the Christmas and Spring breaks, he'd asked Gellert to write down the details of some of his earlier projects and those he hadn't ever gotten around to completing for one reason or other so that he'd have something to work on during down times at Hogwarts.</p><p>Blaise would've given Gellert some of his unfinished concepts to work on as well, but he knew his parents were keeping the blonde busy enough with funeral plans and poison lessons.  There would be time for Gell to improve on Blaise's own unfinished ideas once they were together and traveling.  When they met in Snape's office for their first work weekend after spring break, he detained them before Bramble could apparate them to their room in the staff wing beside Flitwick's.</p><p>"How is your work with Wolfgang progressing when it comes to tracking Death Eaters in Knockturn alley," Severus asked Gellert.<br/>
"We're nearly there," Gellert replied.<br/>
"Well I need you to get there faster, and when Wolfgang is able to locate Death Eaters, I need one kept alive so that I can use it for its dark mark."<br/>
"I'm intrigued," Gellert said, inclining his head.<br/>
"Go on."</p><p>Gellert spoke as though he were the one in charge, which Blaise found extremely hot.  In truth, to a degree he was in charge as much as anyone.  Snape depended on him for whatever he needed, and from the intense expression on the potion master's face, right now he needed it a lot.</p><p>Snape sighed.<br/>
"Mag has a talent for divining with runes.  She is always incredibly accurate with her runes for good or ill.  When it comes to my work as a double agent, she has done many rune castings over the past few years, continuously checking for the likelihood of my safety.  All has been well except for recently.  Her last few castings predict my death if I remain until the end of the battle that shall take place between Potter and Voldemort.  She has even pinpointed the time I should depart, but if I am to do so without ruining Albus's plans, it should seem that I am still present.  Borrowing Wolfgang's genius concept of replacing you in Nurmengard with a fake, I have had my own idea to do the same with myself.  The dark mark will be required or Voldemort will know at once, so we need another of his followers to take my place."</p><p>"And you suppose they'll just agree to do that," Blaise asked skeptically.<br/>
"Of course I assume you have a plan, but Voldemort's lot don't seem particularly willing to play along for any reason, so I hope this plan is fool proof."<br/>
"It's at least very close, and should last long enough to serve my purpose," Severus replied."It involves duplicating my memories and planting them into this Death Eater's head.  At least the memories Albus crafted to allow me to fool Voldemort all these years as well as the latest ones which I will program the Death Eater to release to Potter if he feels his life is being threatened.  Of course we will transfigure him to look like me and he'll take my place midway through the battle.  That's when Magritte says I need to leave."</p><p>"What memories of yours could Potter possibly need to succeed," Gellert asked curiously.<br/>
"Not my memories, but memories Albus crafted so that Potter would trust me.  The little prat and I never managed to get along for a myriad of reasons, and Albus believes because of this, Potter will never trust me to have his best interests at heart when he most needs to."<br/>
Snape sighed, running a hand through his lank shoulder length black hair.</p><p>"I suppose he may be right.  Though I've basically told Potter that we all need him to succeed so I will help him, he is a little shit, prone to...being himself at exactly the wrong times."<br/>
Blaise chuckled, unable to decide what was more amusing.  Snape's true assessment of Potter or his use of the phrase little shit.<br/>
"The memories involve some life long love Albus crafted for me to feel for Potter's mother," Snape continued, making a face as though he'd just bitten down hard on a lemon and hated it.<br/>
"I hated Potter's father with a passion, so how I could love anyone who would marry him, I have no idea.  Never mind the fact I hardly knew his mother and the single time we interacted, she made a show of defending me to annoy James so I put her in her place," Severus ranted.</p><p>Gellert arched a brow.<br/>
"So...Dumbledore expects Potter to believe you loved her in spite of all that," he asked skeptically.<br/>
"You don't come across as the loving or forgiving or torch carrying sort," he said with a grin.<br/>
Severus nodded.<br/>
"You don't say," he drawled.<br/>
"If Mag chose to be with one of my enemies...well let us just say the fine line between love and hate would be crossed and I'd probably happily hand her over to Voldemort if he wanted her dead.  Albus believes that because Potter doesn't...can't think like that, that he'll want to believe better of me no matter how illogical it is.  If someone doesn't like you and doesn't like not liking you, they're happy to turn you into someone else in their mind, or so Albus believes.  He believes that Harry's love for his mother, and longing for her in his life will make him cleave to me when he sees the memories Albus planted."</p><p>He sighed.<br/>
"Let us just hope he is correct because I'm betting my life on it, literally."<br/>
Blaise tried not to cringe.  That was a heavy bet indeed mainly because it involved Harry bloody Potter doing what was required.  It could just be Snape's luck if Harry didn't believe it at all.<br/>
"So you'll need Wolfgang to hold the Death Eater captive until you require his...services," Gellert asked.<br/>
"That could be problematic if he is called by Voldemort, could it not?"</p><p>"Exactly," Severus said, nodding.<br/>
"So we'll have to figure out a way to do both.  To single out a Death Eater and know where he is at all times.  I will need to craft a way to make him constantly accessible to me so I can bring him to me whenever I need him, but without Voldemort noticing.  I will also need to transfer those memories into his head and transfigure him into myself in a short amount of time.  That's complicated magic, and not something to be accomplished in an instant as you know."</p><p>Blaise felt a flash of sympathy at the open strain on Snape's face."It's Alright," he heard himself saying in a tone that one could almost call soothing.<br/>
"We'll help.  With enough of us putting our heads together, we'll have it sorted.  Have you considered working with elves, because they can perform a great deal of complicated magic in a very short amount of time which sounds like just what you need."<br/>
"No, I hadn't actually, but the thought is intriguing," Severus said slowly.<br/>
"Perhaps Kreacher would help."</p><p>"And Bramble," Gellert added.<br/>
"His spell crafting skills are rather amazing. He'd likely find this sort of thing overly simple, right, Bramble?"<br/>
Gellert turned expectantly to the elf in question, who hadn't said a word as he waited to apparate Gellert and Blaise to their room in the staff wing.<br/>
"How would you accomplish any of the things required in this situation?"</p><p>Bramble looked a bit startled and a bit annoyed to be dragged into this, but took a moment to consider before speaking.<br/>
"Bramble sees two ways to proceed.  The first allows Severus Snape more time to work on his Death Eater's mind.  This first method involves isolating the dark mark so that it can not be used, but not destroying it entirely.  Then it can be activated at a later date when the Death Eater is posing as Severus Snape. Bramble would do this with a sort of freezing charm so that the mark is in a sort of stasis."</p><p>Gellert gave a smile of pleasure, blue eyes flashing with triumph as though he'd come up with the idea.<br/>
"I told you he was brilliant," he said smugly, then eagerly gestured the stoic Bramble to continue.<br/>
"Bramble's second method involves linking your Death Eater to you so that you can draw him to you at need, then having a group of people ready to transfigure him and transfer your thoughts into his mind as rapidly as possible," he told Severus.<br/>
"If Bramble and Kreacher help, this could be accomplished in perhaps three minutes."</p><p>"I told you he could solve it," Gellert crowed, clapping a frowning Bramble on the shoulder.<br/>
Bramble's expression clearly said that he wasn't at all moved by praise and would rather not be involved at all.<br/>
"Once this Death Eater is captured, if you use Bramble's second idea, Gellert and I could make a pendant for you that would draw him.  It will work like a portkey that brings him to you rather than you to him.  He won't need a pendant of his own as we can use his blood, linking him to yours and giving him no link to you," Blaise told Severus.</p><p>"Bramble was thinking Gellert and Master Blaise could make something like that to serve," the elf said, giving a satisfied nod.<br/>
"I like the first method best, as this Death Eater could take my place faster in the end, and if Voldemort believes him dead when his mark is inactive via being frozen, he will no longer be a consideration," Severus said thoughtfully.<br/>
The potion master's face was already more relaxed at the idea, and his dark eyes more hopeful.<br/>
"If I am missing for even three minutes in the end, the dark lo...Voldemort may question it, so if the switch could take place in a few seconds instead, I feel that would be safer.  Are you quite certain you can freeze the dark mark to deactivate it then reactivate it later," Severus asked Bramble, but it was Gellert who replied.</p><p>"Of course he is!  And your so called dark lord won't even think to look for elf magic."<br/>
Hell in his day Gellert knew he would never have considered such, flaw or not, and Voldemort certainly wasn't better than him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0060"><h2>60. Stayin' Alive</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bramble apparated away as soon as he got Blaise and Gellert into their borrowed staff room beside Flitwick's.  The two were alone at last, and while Blaise's body was eager to enjoy that fact, his mind still pondered over project tracking Death Eaters that Wolfgang and Gellert were working on in Knockturn Alley.<br/>"Which part of the Death Eater tracking thing are the two of you stuck on," he asked even as his eyes hungrily devoured Gellert.</p><p>"The end, basically,"  Gellert replied.<br/>
"The actual locating of the Death Eater after it has departed Knockturn Alley.  We have the spells set up for the identification of the dark marks, and even the ability to track them.  We're just lacking the technical execution and everything we've tried hasn't worked."</p><p>Blaise gave a thoughtful frown.  There should be something...it was right there on the tip of his brain...<br/>
"Have you tried linking a scrying mirror like those we made for Hogwarts security to the dark mark identification charms in Knockturn?"<br/>
"Actually no," Gellert said slowly.<br/>
"You'll need to put heavy magnification charms on it because you're scrying on something further away than the mirrors just tied to Hogwarts, but perhaps if you use a quartz crystal mirror, that will magnify it on its own," Blaise suggested thoughtfully.<br/>
"Mag should be able to help you get that and as it now involves Snape I think she'll be eager."</p><p>"Indeed," Gellert agreed, excitement flashing in his eyes.<br/>
"Wolfgang and I will be working on that first thing next week!  You are ever brilliant, my boy!  I do so miss you while you're stuck here"<br/>
Throwing his arms around Blaise he drew him close and kissed him soundly.  Blaise was glad he was able to pitch in with something helpful because now his thinking fuse was blown at least for the moment.</p><p>In truth, they didn't get much done that weekend when it came to work.  Considering what a large part they were playing in probably saving Snape's life, though, the two believed they'd earned it.  They spent the few days together ravishing one another in all ways possible and when the weaknesses of humanity forced them to rest, they spent some time making plans for where they'd travel after Blaise's graduation.</p><p>The next few weeks dragged by for Blaise, but when Gellert arrived for his next weekend visit, it was with excellent news.<br/>
"The crystal mirror worked out wonderfully," he said once they were alone in their room.<br/>
"As it turns out, Wolfgang already had a crystal mirror so we were able to use it right away.  With the proper blood magic worked on it, it is a powerful scrying tool.  Wolfgang has already tracked five Death Eaters in Knockturn alley by their dark marks. Four are dead and one is being held for Severus's use when it is time. Bramble froze the man's dark mark and the power it holds appears to be nullified for the moment!"</p><p>Blaise sighed as he flopped back onto the bed.<br/>
"I bloody miss out on everything while I'm stuck here," he groaned resentfully.<br/>
"Does Snape know?"</p><p>Gellert nodded as he perched on the end of the bed.<br/>
"Wolfgang contacted him as soon as it was done.  In code, of course.  We can't be too careful these days."<br/>
"Yes," Blaise agreed distractedly.<br/>
"He's already begun working with Dumbledore, Kreacher and Bramble to transfer duplicate memories of his own into the Death Eater's mind," Gellert said.<br/>
"Of course we won't know how well such a thing will actually work until it's put into practice, but everything has a risk."</p><p>Blaise nodded.<br/>
"Hopefully Snape can make the best of whatever happens.  If he's wise, which he is, he'll have several escape plans."<br/>
Gellert nodded, having experienced the wisdom of that himself several times.<br/>
"What creature did you use for the blood magic to make the mirror sentient," Blaise asked, mind returning to his true point of interest.<br/>
"For such a powerful tool, I should think it would've needed to be a strong one."</p><p>Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Indeed.  Wolfgang knows someone who breeds mountain trolls, so we used two of those.  Hags may have served better, but the trolls got the job done."<br/>
Blaise smirked.  After having to flee from that hag because of her magic nullifying potion, he could just bet Gellert wanted to make a few hags pay.<br/>
"There is always next time," he said, and Gellert chuckled.</p><p>Blaise and Gellert enjoyed their weekend together once again, and that was a good thing, because the very next Friday the shit hit the fan in an epic way.  Severus was literally ousted from Hogwarts while Blaise was sleeping late that night!  Upon hearing the news, the first thing that occurred to him was that his every other weekend meetings with Gell were over.  As the new Headmistress, McGonagall certainly wouldn't allow them to meet in Hogwarts for any reason.  The old lady had a stick so far up her ass she was choking on it, Blaise thought peevishly.</p><p>Of course as far as he knew, McGonagall didn't even know about Gellert, but were she told, he was certain she'd not be supportive of Grindelwald being free at all much less in her school for any reason.  Besides if the shit continued to smack, smack, smack into the proverbial fan, Voldemort should be dead soon, and no one would see a point to Blaise and Gellert meeting to work on projects.  There would be no immediate reason.</p><p>Of course if Voldemort lived, things would be even worse, and Blaise comforted himself with that knowledge when he and the other Slytherins were shepherded into the dungeons.<br/>
"This is soooo insulting," Pansy squealed indignantly as she squeezed into a chair beside Blaise where he hid out in a dark corner in an effort to be left the hell alone.<br/>
"Really," he drawled.<br/>
"Would you prefer to be helping Voldemort or risking your life fighting against him, then?"<br/>
Pansy bit her lip then sighed.<br/>
"Well when you put it that way, I suppose it'll be alright down here for a little while.  I just hope they hurry...and that you know who loses."</p><p>She whispered that bit under her breath, glancing furtively around in case any Slytherins who supported Voldemort happened to be close.<br/>
"Where's your man," she asked, leaning close so her voice wouldn't carry.<br/>
Blaise hesitated.  He could've used his pendant to go to Gellert and let him know what was happening, but why risk anyone discovering that he was out of Nurmengard just so he could enjoy a bit of complicated fighting?<br/>
"I see no reason to involve him at this point.  If things appear to be getting worse, I shall perhaps reevaluate."</p><p>"I saw you drawing your names in a heart in the center of the hollows symbol in class like three times this year,"  Pansy whispered.<br/>
"Does he have a Grindelwald fixation or..."<br/>
Blaise arched a brow, remaining silent and forcing her to continue or drop her line of questioning.<br/>
It was embarrassing that she'd seen him acting like a girl and drawing his and Gellert's names in a bloody heart.<br/>
"I mean he can't be, can he?"<br/>
Blaise shrugged, and Pansy's eyes widened, her mouth making a silent O.<br/>
"Well...I did always say you were picky, so I could totally see it happening!"</p><p>By the time the Slytherins were let out of the dungeon, everyone was cranky and ready for breakfast.  Upon hearing that Snape was dead, Blaise was able to look properly shocked because...well what if the plan hadn't worked and he had died?  He hoped not, but as he didn't know, he at least allowed himself to fear the worst in order to appear mildly upset for his former head of house being no more.  After breakfast he sought out Flitwick for a private word, though.  The charms master wordlessly led him to his office, then locked the door with a charm before speaking.</p><p>"Severus is fine.  I got word that he went to Mag's.  I don't think he's returning though.  He is concerned that he will be imprisoned for what was done to that Death Eater and...well I think he just wants a new start."<br/>
Filius smiled sadly.<br/>
"I will certainly miss him, but we'll visit during the summers and perhaps over the holidays.  He is a dear boy and I'm just glad he got out of this alive."</p><p>Blaise managed to keep a blank expression even though of all the things he imagined someone calling his former head of house, a dear boy wasn't one of them.<br/>
Filius giggled.<br/>
"Do you remember how he told me I may have to be unkind to him eventually and I did not wish to?   Well he insisted you know and I did a right proper job of it when the time came!  I even made him believe it, which I think made the cover up even better.  I threw his supposed murder of Albus in his face!  Which would not have been at all decent were Albus not alive and well at Durmstrang."</p><p>"Good job, Professor,"  Blaise said, but his amused grin was a bit tired and drawn.  It had been a long night and even though the news was good, there was a lot to process.<br/>
"Well I also wondered if you'd like to use our pendants and summon everyone to our hideaway even though it isn't necessary.  Just to say hello and check in...just to make sure everyone is well."<br/>
Blaise nodded eagerly, and Filius lifted his hand, activating the pendants Blaise and Gellert had made to bring everyone to their hideout in Norway.</p><p>At once Blaise felt the magic pulling him forward.  He took a single stumbling step and was there...nearly running into Gellert who he immediately embraced.<br/>
"You let us all sleep through the bloody fighting,"  the blonde complained.<br/>
"Well I was locked in the dungeon and were I to use my pendant to go to you, it may draw unwanted attention.  I'd rather us all stay out of the fight than risk anyone finding out that you're out of Nurmengard."<br/>
"You did the right thing," Sabra Zabini told her son.<br/>
"So you were safe the entire time?"<br/>
"Yes Mum.  Locked up in the dungeon just for being a Slytherin, which would've been extremely offensive if it hadn't allowed me to do just what I wanted to do, i.e staying out of the fight.  I do so hate getting messy," Blaise drawled.</p><p>"Be careful that vanity isn't the death of you some day, Zabini," Severus Snape snarked.<br/>
Blaise grinned at the former professor over Gellert's shoulder.<br/>
"I'm glad the plan worked and that you're alright."<br/>
"So am I," Severus agreed with a laugh.<br/>
"And the one who died in my place needed to die so no harm done."<br/>
The man's face looked more relaxed than Blaise had ever seen it.  Freedom looked good on him.</p><p>"What will you do now,"  Gellert asked curiously.<br/>
"Albus wants us to come teach at Durmstrang next year.  He is using a fake identity and has transfigured himself a bit.  He thinks we could do the former and aren't well known in those parts so can skip the later."<br/>
"Which is good, because I enjoy the way you look just as you are,"  Mag told him.<br/>
"Thank both of you for helping Severus," she said, turning gratefully to Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
"And you too Wolfgang!"<br/>
"It's what we're here for," the half giant said, giving her a pleased, friendly smile.<br/>
"Keeping one another alive and strong."</p><p> </p><p> (Author's note<br/>
For more details on how Severus survived the battle from his perspective, check his story, Knowledge is Power, under our stories here.)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0061"><h2>61. School's out forever!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At least Blaise's final month and a half at Hogwarts was tension free without Death Eaters teaching and the threat of Voldemort no longer looming over the wizarding community.  Andy Ainslie, an unremarkable looking Muggle born wizard, came to teach Muggle studies and Filius Flitwick's wife, Finna took over Defense Against the Dark Arts until the end of the year.  Blaise had no idea if either would stay around and he didn't care.  The only thing on his mind when it came to Hogwarts was leaving.</p><p>Mrs. Flitwick was a druid, so he wouldn't mind learning more from her on curses and such, but he doubted leaving Hogwarts meant he'd see the last of the Flitwicks, so there was always time.  Now all he wanted was to be free to travel with Gellert.  As there were no more weekend work related visits, the two were reduced to writing letters, which both did daily.  They were only able to see one another once before Blaise's graduation, and that was for Geo's final funeral.  It was held on the first Saturday of June and Blaise was allowed to leave school for a few hours to attend.</p><p>There was really no reason for it now with Voldemort dead, but both parents insisted that the snake faced bastard had died before and better safe than sorry.  Besides, Geo had put all that work into it, and he wanted to follow through.  Blaise rolled his eyes and went along as usual.  Millicent was there as was Kereston.  The viewing was quiet and subdued as usual, with a ton of food.<br/>
"You can get his plate of food this time," Blaise muttered to Gellert, nodding at Geo's coffin.</p><p>Geo always insisted that Blaise make a second plate of food for himself and this time he just wasn't in the mood.  Gellert was going home so he could hand the plate of left overs over to him more easily anyway.<br/>
"Not a problem," Gellert said.<br/>
Grinning, he heaped a second plate high with food, smiling cheerfully at any scandalized looks thrown his way by stuffy looking witches and wizards who had attended for whatever reason.<br/>
"This is really going to help me process my grief later today," Gellert commented rather loudly and Millicent snickered.<br/>
"Mind your weight," Bramble snarked, and Millicent snickered again.<br/>
"I'm perfect," Gellert announced shamelessly.<br/>
"I can eat anything and remain thin and today I shall be stuffing my feelings."</p><p>For once, Blaise was actually sad at one of his father's funerals.  He'd have to leave Gellert's company before they even got any alone time, and that was depressing.  He used the opportunity to try talking his mum into allowing him to leave school early as there was no Voldemort to force students to remain, but she was aghast.<br/>
"You've come this far and you are bloody well finishing," she snapped.<br/>
"I can't believe you'd bring it up at a time like this when your father has just died!"</p><p>Blaise smirked. He wanted to point out that no one could hear their whispered conversation, but instead he drawled, "He'd want me to be happy, don't you think?"<br/>
"He's left you enough gold to buy all the happiness you like...after graduation,"  Sabra retorted.<br/>
By this point both mother and son were struggling not to smile.</p><p>The other seventh years were counting the days to graduation and, to Blaise, they all seemed an odd mix of excited and sad.  He was just impatient.  He was even impatient during his N.E.W.T.s, just wanting to get them over with.  He knew his marks would be high, and it was all boring.</p><p>When graduation day at last arrived, the excitement finally struck him.  Of course he didn't care a thing for the graduation ceremony itself.  Everyone else cared about that, but Blaise was just excited because today he could actually begin his life with Gellert, fully and with no interruptions. The graduation ceremony took place in the great hall as did the sorting.  It was all about going full circle, and Blaise couldn't decide if that felt quaint or a bit pointless.  When he walked across the stage to claim his diploma, it was after everyone else as usual thanks to his last name.  Taking it from McGonagall rather than Dumbledore felt a little odd, he had to admit.</p><p>Blaise was honestly surprised that Dumbledore didn't wish to return to Hogwarts.  It wasn't as if he had to keep pretending to be dead in order to allow Voldemort to hang himself on the end of Potter's wand anymore.  The old headmaster preferred his new post at Durmstrang, feeling more challenged, even if he didn't relish all the darker teachings.  He taught transfiguration and that wasn't usually dark unless one made it so and Dumbledore certainly would not.  Blaise supposed with Severus and Mag working there next year, Albus would wish to be close to them as well.  He'd said more than once that he thought of Severus as a sort of son.</p><p>When Blaise took his Diploma from McGonagall, he looked into the audience, and saw his parents and Gellert waving wildly. Gellert's eyes sparkled as they met Blaise's, and the proud smile on his beautiful face made Blaise's heart stop for a second.  Not usually one to show emotion, he felt himself smiling back as he waved at his family.  Bramble was even smiling!  Millicent, Wolfgang and Kereston sat with Blaise's family as well.</p><p>As Blaise climbed into a boat with some other seventh years, he wondered what new story his father planned to tell, because Geo had come to the graduation looking exactly like himself.  Sabra's first dead husband turning up to his son's graduation had garnered no comment, but perhaps no one remembered who he was by this point anyway.  He'd attended Durmstrang and came from Italy, so it wasn't as if he had many connections here.</p><p>"Oh,"  Pansy sobbed, as she grasped Blaise's arm.<br/>
The boat pulled away from the shore.<br/>
"Can't you be supportive just for a moment," she demanded.<br/>
"There, there," Blaise drawled dryly.<br/>
"I'm going to pretend that you asked me why I'm crying and I shall answer that it's just so sad leaving our entire childhood behind,"  Pansy said, concluding with a sob.<br/>
Blaise paused, digging deep and finally coming up with, "There, there?"</p><p>"You're going to keep in touch, aren't you," Pansy asked, wiping at her eyes.<br/>
Pansy was alright, and at times even entertaining.<br/>
"I suppose," Blaise replied.<br/>
As he stared across the lake, he felt nothing but eagerness to be away.  It felt as if the boat took entirely to0 long to get across the lake, and once it did, Blaise pushed to be the first one out.  Hogsmeade had never looked so good.  The only thing that looked better was Gellert and his family standing and waiting for him as he stepped onto the shore.<br/>
"See you around, Parkinson," he said, already rushing to embrace Gellert.</p><p>Bramble apparated them home while the two still clung together.<br/>
"Kereston and Millicent said they considered giving you a party, but they didn't want to interrupt your nasty time with your man,"  Bramble said carefully, his precise tone indicating that he was repeating a direct quote.<br/>
"They're good eggs," Blaise said, grinning at the stoic elf over Gellert's shoulder.<br/>
"So who are you now, Dad," he asked Geo, remembering that he was curious about why his dad was looking like himself in public.<br/>
"I hadn't decided yet," Geo said.<br/>
"Maybe myself, the unkillable Zabini, or I could invent a twin brother."<br/>
"Gods," Blaise laughed, shaking his head.</p><p> </p><p>(Author's note)<br/>
Our story, Mrs. Zabini, the Black Widow's Secret, also uploaded here, goes into more Sabra/Geo detail, and it's a one shot.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0062"><h2>62. I can see you comin' on me, And I can't ask for more</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Does your father truly expect to just go unnoticed now as a part of the family with no cover story,"  Gellert asked as soon as he and Blaise were in their bedroom with the door shut behind them.<br/>They'd gone upstairs to be alone, literally as soon as they could get away with it, which was around five minutes after returning home from Blaise's graduation.<br/>"Who knows," Blaise said.</p><p> </p><p>As he spoke, he removed his dress robes and tossed them on the desk chair.  He and Gellert hadn't been together intimately in nearly two months and he was more than ready.  Before Gellert he could go far longer without shagging, but the blonde German was his body's addiction and he liked it that way.</p><p> </p><p>"It's just that he and your mum put all that effort into the black widow business.  It seems wasteful to ruin it now after all this time,"  Gellert complained.<br/>
Even as he spoke, Blaise could feel Gellert's eyes on his body.  Walking over he removed Gellert's dress robe for him.<br/>
"Are you going to join my parents in their crazy obsession or shag me senseless," he asked.<br/>
He was already nearly painfully erect and truly required Gellert's touch.</p><p>"I think you know the answer to that,"  Gellert murmured, leaning close to trail hot kisses down Blaise's neck.<br/>
"Your body is so beautiful."<br/>
Now that was a far better topic of conversation, Blaise thought, leading Gellert to the bed.<br/>
"Gods, but I've missed you," he said as the two sank down onto it together.<br/>
Gellert dragged Blaise's underwear down, and stroking his erection, eagerly kissed his way down Blaise's lean, toned body.</p><p>"I am going to show you just how much I have missed you," he promised.<br/>
His tongue flicked over Blaise's balls and hole until Blaise was squirming on the bed with need.  When Gellert drew him deep into his mouth, Blaise arched up with a groan of pure bliss, hands tangling in the blonde's curls.  Never would they have to be separated again, and this fact somehow made the pleasure even sweeter.  Gellert drew him deeply and firmly into his throat, while at the same time making a flicking motion with his tongue that had Blaise spilling hard into his mouth.<br/>
"Ah, God, Gellert!"</p><p>For a bit, Blaise couldn't move, and merely lay slowly catching his breath.  Gellert went to the bedside table to pour himself a cup of water.  When he returned to the bed,  Blaise sat up and reached for him.  He drew down Gellert's underwear while kissing his way down the blonde's flat stomach.  His hands were already working Gellert's erection as he gently pushed him down onto his back, crouching between his legs.<br/>
"Not sure I got enough protein at Hogwarts...And I'm hungry," he said, then drew Gellert's erect length into his mouth.<br/>
Gellert made a soft sound that had Blaise's own erection springing back to life.  It never failed to turn him on like crazy that he could make Gellert Grindelwald react like this.  He drew the blonde's long sweet length in and out of his mouth, his hands on Gellert's hips.  Gellert thrust up into Blaise's mouth faster and faster, his head thrown back as he cried out his orgasm.</p><p>They lay curled together on the bed for a few silent minutes, just enjoying the simple, effortless act of being close.  Eventually Blaise lazily shifted to the edge of the bed so that he could pour himself a cup of water.  When he lay back onto the bed, he reached for Gellert, drawing the other man on top of him.<br/>
"I want you inside of me, right now," he murmured, and Gellert let out a soft breath.<br/>
Blaise felt him growing hard against his thigh and shifted so that their erections were touching.  God but that felt amazing!</p><p>Gellert shifted away just enough to grab the tube of cream from the bedside table.  Once coated with it, he slowly slid inside of Blaise, covering the dark haired wizard's mouth with his own in a hungry kiss.  Blaise made a low guttural sound of need as he arched under Gellert.  Nothing got better than this, Gellert thought as he slowly began to move inside of the other man's exquisitely tight warmth.  And now they were free to do it as often as they liked, forever.</p><p>Wrapping his legs around Gellert, Blaise ground his erection against the blonde's stomach.  Grasping Gellert's face in his hands, he claimed his mouth in long slow kiss after long slow kiss as Gellert moved inside of him.  Nothing or no one could ever feel this good, and Blaise never planned to lose what they had together.  </p><p>With long, slow, deep thrusts, Gellert drove them both to a sweetly explosive orgasm, that had them crying out simultaneously.  They lay spent together for some time afterward, unmoving save for the occasional leisurely kiss.  Eventually Gellert's brain began to work again and he recalled something he'd forgotten to mention to Blaise.<br/>
"I told Kereston that we'd meet her tomorrow for lunch, if that's Alright."</p><p>"Sure," Blaise said.<br/>
He really liked the fact that Gellert had become friends with his friends.<br/>
"I thought we could go for Chinese again," Gellert said, and Blaise nodded against his shoulder.<br/>
"Sounds good."<br/>
"Tonight Bramble is making your favorite dinner in honor of your graduation," Gellert confided.<br/>
"Roast boar and stuffed potatoes or cheesy spaghetti and garlic bread," Blaise asked.<br/>
Gellert frowned.<br/>
"You know...I'm not sure."</p><p>As it turned out it was roast boar and stuffed potatoes.  There was German chocolate cake for dessert and everyone ate until they were stuffed.<br/>
"It's going to be so odd when the two of you go off traveling,"Sabra lamented.<br/>
"Big meals won't be necessary and the house will seem so huge."</p><p>"There will still be three of you eating," Blaise pointed out.<br/>
"Yes but the three of us won't need as much,"  Sabra said.<br/>
"Speak for yourself," Geo said.<br/>
"I'm a hungry man!"<br/>
"It will be fine," Bramble assured the table at large.<br/>
"He isn't even going to miss us,"  Gellert exclaimed, pointing accusingly at the elf.<br/>
"Bramble seriously doubts there will be time to miss either of you," the elf objected.  "The Mistress has already instructed him that he is to have a copy of your travel plans so that he may handle your laundry and such."</p><p>"Wonderful! Thank you," Gellert said brightly.<br/>
Bramble glowered briefly at Gellert.<br/>
"Adding unnecessarily to Bramble's work load is no problem for him at all,"  he said, his polite tone full of sarcasm.<br/>
"It isn't truly adding to your load," Blaise pointed out logically.<br/>
"It's the same amount of laundry you always do.  You're just taking five seconds or so to come and get ours from another location."</p><p>It was Blaise's turn to be glowered at by the elf, but he wasn't overly bothered and merely shrugged.<br/>
"Thank you for dinner.  It was wonderful."<br/>
"Master Blaise did graduate, so he deserves a special meal,"  Bramble said, expression softening a bit.<br/>
When Blaise and Gellert returned to their bedroom after dinner, they were too full to shag, at least for the moment, so began working on travel plans.</p><p>"Where should we start," Blaise asked, sitting down at the desk and drawing a quill and parchment toward him.<br/>
He knew they both wanted to go everywhere, after all, and one had to start somewhere.<br/>
"Would you like to revisit some of the places you once enjoyed first to see how they've changed, or go somewhere new?"<br/>
"It's your graduation summer," Gellert said generously.<br/>
"Why don't you decide?"</p><p>"Because I haven't been shut away unfairly in prison for fifty years," Blaise said almost gently.<br/>
"I'd like you to choose a place first.  I'm sure I shall love where ever you want to go.  We do have similar interests, after all."<br/>
Gellert chuckled as his gaze rested fondly on Blaise.<br/>
"That we do."</p><p>"Well," he said after a moment of thought.<br/>
"Severus and Mag spoke very highly of their trip to Egypt.  They went a few years ago and really enjoyed it.  What intrigues me the most is their mention of a shop that sells rare translations of ancient magical scrolls that no museums possess.  They mentioned another shop that sells Egyptian jewelry and statues.  Some were made recently by Egyptian artisans but some belonged to ancient pharaohs and Egyptian wizards.  These shops are apparently part of the Egyptian underground or black market if you will."</p><p>"Alright," Blaise said.<br/>
"I'm in."<br/>
He wrote Egypt on the parchment next to the number one.<br/>
"Now where next?"<br/>
Making their actual travel list truly brought it home to Blaise like nothing else that it was really about to happen!  He and Gellert were really free to roam the world in search of magic, knowledge, pleasure, and whatever else they came across.  What he'd waited impatiently for and longed after was finally and truly about to happen!</p><p>"No it's your turn to decide where next,"  Gellert objected.<br/>
"How about Switzerland," Blaise asked.<br/>
Gellert nodded thoughtfully.<br/>
"It once had some very nice bars.  They held interesting magical gatherings.  Scholarly wizards frequented them, and such gatherings offered a valuable opportunity to exchange interesting information."</p><p>Blaise wrote Switzerland down beside the number two on the parchment.<br/>
"Let's hope such is still the case.  If not, we'll make it interesting by just being there," he said.<br/>
Gellert laughed, nodding.<br/>
"Indeed any place is benefited by our presence.  They should truly consider themselves fortunate."</p><p>The two planned late into the night, and by the time they stopped the parchment on the desk before Blaise was full of destinations and notes for what they planned to do in each place.<br/>
"That'll do for a start," Blaise said, standing and turning from the desk to regard Gellert where he lay stretched out on the bed, hands behind his blonde head.  To Blaise, he looked positively good enough to eat.<br/>
"Don't move," he said, tongue darting across his lips as he approached the bed.</p><p>"Not a problem," Gellert smirked.<br/>
"It is your special day, after all."<br/>
As Gellert spoke, Blaise watched the blonde's erection growing in anticipation, causing his robes to tent up around his midsection.  Blaise wasted no time in disrobing and tossing his clothes on the chair.<br/>
"Gods, I love watching you move,"  Gellert murmured as he approached.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0063"><h2>63. Snow-white)--Hey that's not what I mean</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The two slept in on Blaise's first day of freedom from school forever.  They didn't wake until eleven A.M so opted to wait for lunch rather than having a late breakfast or brunch because Kereston was meeting them at twelve.  The two dressed in black summer slacks and short sleeved shirts rather than their standard wizard robes.  Blaise wore one of his customary silk t-shirts, today one in black while Gellert wore a button down but also in black.  Blaise insisted on wearing short sleeves in the heat and Gellert didn't object too strenuously because they did have to dress in something the Muggles would find appropriate if they were eating Muggle Chinese.</p><p>Once they were ready for the day, they went downstairs to await Kereston.  Blaise's parents were still in the dining room poring over the paper with cups of coffee at hand.<br/>
"Of course the new Minister for Magic is unremarkable and the changes he's making to things in general are equally unremarkable,"  Sabra complained, turning a page with a bored sigh.<br/>
"Bramble will bring Master Blaise and Gellert coffee unless they'd prefer tea," Bramble said.<br/>
He was idly dusting picture frames on the wall on the other side of the room.<br/>
"Coffee, please," Blaise said and Gellert nodded his silent agreement as he seated himself.</p><p>"Sadly unsurprising," the blonde commented to Sabra's statement concerning the new Minister For Magic.<br/>
"The magical world is too weakened by fear and thus they fear proper change."</p><p>"Not everyone in the magical world,"  Bramble announced, sliding steaming cups of coffee across the table to Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
"For his part, Bramble embraces change!  For example if Master Blaise and Gellert would pick up their clothes from time to time and put them in the laundry hamper at the end of the hall, Bramble would embrace that change directly."<br/>
"And deprive you of something to frown about," Gellert asked, aghast.<br/>
"Why we would never do that to you, Bramble. It would be quite unkind."<br/>
The elf snorted and returned to his dusting.</p><p>Blaise grinned, enjoying the interplay of Gellert and his family.  The German fit right in and made a colorful addition.<br/>
"You're quite right, Gellert,"  Sabra said.<br/>
"Concerning the ministry and the wizard mentality at large.  It is an infection really, and hasn't changed over time.  In fact it's likely gotten worse.  I just hope they've learned a bit after the Voldemort experience."</p><p>"Why should they," Gellert asked skeptically.<br/>
"It would involve changing the way they deal with fear.  One could hope but it is also wise to doubt as well as it prevents one's hopes being dashed."<br/>
"The man's got wisdom," Geo said, clapping Gellert on the shoulder.<br/>
"I swear part of me is still getting used to having Grindelwald at my breakfast table.  One moment in my mind you're just Blaise's partner and one of us, then it hits me again."<br/>
Blaise got that completely.  He smiled at his father, because it was nice that it wasn't just him who could see Gellert in two such separate ways.</p><p>"All great wizards are still people too," Sabra observed.<br/>
"We raised a great wizard.  I always knew Blaise would do great things, and now with Gellert at his side, the two of them will do amazing things."<br/>
"That's right," Geo chimed in boisterously.<br/>
"Do us proud!"</p><p>"We're on it, Daddeo," Gellert said with a wide smile.<br/>
The knocker sounded then and Bramble apparated away to usher Kereston in.<br/>
"Why are you eating among Muggles again,"  Sabra complained.<br/>
"Because Gellert likes Chinese and I want him to get a good dose of what it's like now with the Muggles.  Their tech and their numbers and though he claims to understand I still don't feel he does," Kereston said.<br/>
"Hi, Sabra and Geo," she added, not to forget her niceties.</p><p>"Not going to greet the poor elf," Gellert asked, eyes sparkling at the prospect of Bramble being a grump to someone else other than he and Blaise.<br/>
"I greeted him when he let me in, Prat," Kereston informed.<br/>
"Now let's go."<br/>
Blaise and Gellert downed the rest of their coffee and they headed out.  Kereston apparated them to the alley they'd used before, and Gellert frowned.<br/>
"You aren't going to insist on getting yourself any of that McDonald's rubbish, are you," he demanded suspiciously.<br/>
Kereston sighed.<br/>
"No!  I asked you out to lunch, so I am obviously eating with you."<br/>
"Well you ate the burger thing last time so how was I to be certain?"<br/>
Kereston sighed again and began to walk out of the alley, leaving Blaise and Gellert to follow.<br/>
"Because, I know we're eating Chinese today and last time I actually thought you'd eat at McDonalds because I stupidly underestimated your rudeness."</p><p>"It isn't rude to fear for one's own well being if one eats garbage," Gellert told her firmly.<br/>
The little blonde ignored him save for a disgusted shake of her head as they walked along.<br/>
"So when are the two of you leaving," she asked after a moment.<br/>
"Probably in a few weeks if not sooner, I should think," Gellert replied, sliding an inquiring look to Blaise who nodded in agreement.</p><p>"That sounds about right.  We just made a list of all the places we plan to go, and now we only need to see where the best accommodations are in each and finalize our plans."<br/>
"Are you quite certain it's safe," Kereston asked, biting at her lower lip.<br/>
"I mean you still don't know who really was behind your imprisonment, Gellert, or even how it was accomplished.  Apparently due to the Dumbledore cover-up no one wants it known, and that says to me that it's a pretty big deal."</p><p> "Agreed," Gellert replied, face going serious.<br/>
"They aren't searching for me, though and they don't expect me to be young, so what, exactly, is your concern."<br/>
Kereston shrugged.<br/>
"I don't know.  I just don't like unsolved puzzles when they're that dangerous, I suppose.  And as for them not expecting you to be young, I get that, but they apparently understood how dangerous you were...enough to create such a big cover-up so who knows what they believe you to be capable of?"<br/>
They approached the Chinese restaurant then, so all three fell silent on the matter.</p><p>Once they were seated and given glasses of water and menus, Kereston pointed at Gellert's shirt.<br/>
"Nice outfit.  You look so much more posh than Blaise today."<br/>
"This T is silk I'll have you know," Blaise huffed.<br/>
"It's nice, but he looks more posh today, and that's that," Kereston said with a slight smile.</p><p>"You look like a prince to me," Gellert grandly proclaimed, slipping an arm around Blaise.<br/>
Once more he was struck by how different these modern times were in some respects.  He could put an arm around another man in the middle of downtown London and no one even noticed.  The extra freedoms, even among Muggles, were a definite plus.  He had to admit that some things had changed for the better.<br/>
"In fact, you're my prince charming, remember? You certainly swept me off my feet and guided me into unknown realms where I never imagined I wished to venture."</p><p>Turning to Kereston he winked.<br/>
"In fact, I think of him as the flipper."<br/>
"I know I am going to regret this, but why," Kereston asked.<br/>
Then with a snicker she added, "Sounds like the name of some dolphin, by the way."<br/>
"Not at all," Gellert said grandly.<br/>
"I preferred the ladies before him and now...now it's only him."</p><p>"Well you flipped him too, because he preferred the ladies before you.  Not to mention you've totally ruined his personality and made it annoying," Kereston complained, twirling the straw in her glass of water.<br/>
"He laughs all the time and has become vaguely immature...Rather like you."<br/>
Gellert grinned, blue eyes sparkling.<br/>
"Ah.  That's so sweet."<br/>
"It wasn't intended to be," Kereston said.</p><p>"It's Alright if you look more posh today," Blaise told Gellert, flicking an amused glance to Kereston before returning his ice blue eyes adoringly to regard Gellert.<br/>
"As my Snow-White, you certainly are the fairest of them all."<br/>
Kereston was just raising her water glass to her lips when her eyes widened at Blaise's words.  Sitting the glass down rather hard on the table, she turned a stunned expression to Gellert.<br/>
"That might just be it," she said.<br/>
"Snow-White!  Dumb as the two of you act, you may have just figured something out!  Or rather your silly banter has provided me with the mental connection I needed to figure something out for you."</p><p>"I'm listening," Gellert said.<br/>
"Who took Snow-White down,or rather tried very hard to do so," Kereston demanded.<br/>
"The evil queen," Blaise asked, and Kereston nodded.<br/>
"Very good!"<br/>
"And whose kingdom did you bust all up in and start trouble with, Gellert?"<br/>
Gellert frowned.<br/>
"I was merely..."<br/>
"Whose," Kereston demanded, holding up a finger to silence him.</p><p>"Are you referring to Seraphina Picquery?"<br/>
"Exactly," Kereston said, lowering her finger.<br/>
"She's in no way as powerful as I am," Gellert protested.<br/>
"Obviously she wasn't working alone," Kereston replied.<br/>
"I'm just saying she could've been the driving force behind whoever did it because you popped her girl power bubble or whatever."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0064"><h2>64. Mirror Mirror, On The Wall, Who's The Hottest Of Them All?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After placing their order, the three sat in silence for a time, each in their own thoughts regarding Kereston's possible revelation on Gellert's potential evil queen.  For his part, Blaise was considering the potential for prophesy and symbolism in children's tales.  The evil queen had been made to dance herself to death by Snow-White and Prince charming.  Blaise knew he could craft enchanted slippers to make a person dance, and it would be simple to lace said slippers with poison.<br/>"Have you met Parvati yet," Kereston eventually asked, turning to Gellert.<br/>"Who?"<br/>She sighed.<br/>"Apparently not.  She's a friend of Mag's, and pretty neat for a Gryffindor.  Like you, she is a seer, but she reads tea leaves."</p><p>Gellert looked skeptical.<br/>
"I was thinking you could at least give her a try.  Never know if she'll see something useful," Kereston said.<br/>
"Well at least it will give me an opportunity to decide if tea leaf reading is as rubbish as it sounds," Gellert decided, and Blaise chuckled.<br/>
"I'd agree, but if anyone is accurate, it'd be her.  She has a decent head on her shoulders,"  Blaise commented mildly of Parvati.</p><p>He'd gotten to know her two years back when Mag started bringing her around Kereston and Millie.  Of course Parvati had the hots for him, but he'd liked her enough to tell her that she was better off not falling for someone who would never commit or be what she wanted.  To Parvati's credit she took it well and remained his friend, minus the fawning after that talk.</p><p>"Well if you think well of her, she has to have some potential,"  Gellert said, smiling at Blaise.<br/>
The conversation was lighter for the remainder of lunch.  Kereston talked of her job at the Ministry basically doing magical clean up and Blaise and Gellert told her of their travel plans.<br/>
"We will put off going to see what's become of America until this is sorted," Gellert decided and Kereston nodded.<br/>
"Good.  Better safe than in a fix you may have to draw a lot of attention to yourself to get out of."<br/>
Gellert smirked at her over his spoon of wonton soup.<br/>
"Ah, it's almost as if you care."</p><p>Back at the Zabini's Manor, Kereston promised to return the next day with Parvati.<br/>
"You should treat her to lunch at least for your reading if she doesn't charge,"  Kereston told Gellert who shrugged.<br/>
"Fine."<br/>
When she left, Blaise and Gellert went directly to their room to talk things over without the parents over hearing.  It would help to have a bit more info to go on before telling them because they'd likely go all overboard in some way.  Knowing more would at least give them some direction in which they could over react.</p><p>"I've noticed that girls have become even more bossy in these modern times,"  Gellert grumbled as he closed the door behind them.<br/>
"You should become more indifferent," Blaise advised, a small amused grin playing around the corners of his lips.<br/>
"I never get bossed."<br/>
Gellert leaned his back against the closed bedroom door, watching as Blaise stretched out on the bed.<br/>
'I'll keep that in mind," Gellert said.</p><p>"Speaking of bossy women," Blaise said.<br/>
"Let's get back to the evil queen.  When you were posing as Graves, did you learn much about Picquery?"<br/>
Gellert shrugged.<br/>
"Nothing that would account for her taking me down.  She was a smart lady, and driven for her age, but apparently not good enough to spot me out until I chose to reveal myself."</p><p>"I suppose I'm glad Kereston brought it up again,"  Blaise said.<br/>
"You were and are far too good to be taken down, so it's a mystery best not left unsolved if at all possible.  I never understood the Dumbledore thing, so to hear it wasn't even true wasn't really all that surprising.  I mean why risk everything you were building on a duel?  Of course you're better than Dumbledore, but if I were you I would be concerned that he would cheat or...who knows, it just wouldn't be worth the risk.  For many blokes it could be about pride or a pissing contest, but you were leagues above anyone so what would be the point.  It wasn't about your pride.  It was about what you were doing for the wizarding community, so I don't understand why so many people just accepted that story, ignoring all the holes."</p><p>"It is indeed baffling that they chose such a strange story to serve as a cover up,"  Gellert agreed thoughtfully.<br/>
"Perhaps everyone just believes Dumbledore can do anything, so accepted it at face value no matter the, holes as you so eloquently put it?"<br/>
"I don't know about that.  Undeserved as it may be, Dumbledore has a lot of haters,"  Blaise said.<br/>
"Well hopefully your tea leaf reading friend can shed a bit more light on the situation," Gellert said.</p><p>Pushing off from where he was leaning against the door, he wandered over to join Blaise on the bed.<br/>
"Talking about how brilliant and difficult to beat you are, gets me all fired up," Blaise told him, running long elegant hands over his chest and down to his hips.<br/>
"Good," Gellert said, then let out a soft breath of anticipation as Blaise began to unfasten his pants.  When Gellert's erection was in his hand, Blaise slid down from the bed to kneel on the floor between the blonde's spread legs.<br/>
"What's even hotter than that, is this is all mine,"  Blaise murmured against the tip before sliding it into his mouth.</p><p>"Yes," Gellert breathed, eyes briefly fluttering closed as pleasure washed over his entire body.<br/>
"All yours, yes!"<br/>
As Blaise's mouth began to do extraordinary things to his erection, Gellert's gaze found the wall mirror beside the wardrobe across the room.  He could see himself and Blaise between his legs.  Gods but they were both beautiful and together, they were truly spectacular.  In fact, he couldn't decide who was, as Blaise would say, hotter.  If only that mirror were enchanted, he'd ask it to decide, then watch in amusement as it fractured itself in frustration upon being given an impossible question.</p><p>Blaise's dark Italian skin and hair made the perfect matching set contrasting to Gellert's own fair skin and golden hair.  It was purest alchemy, and gods right now Blaise felt so good around his erection!  With a mind of their own, Gellert's hips began thrusting frantically up off the bed, driving his erection deeper into Blaise's warm, erotic mouth.<br/>
"I love you,"  he gasped, then shouted in ecstasy as his orgasm spilled over.</p><p>Those three words from anyone else would've sent Blaise running in horror and even disgust, but when Gellert spoke them, his heart did insane things that felt amazingly good.  This sort of happiness was so bloody weird, but that didn't stop Blaise from clutching onto it and never wanting to let go.<br/>
"I love you too,"  he murmured, resting his cheek against Gellert's thigh.  The black pants he wore nearly matched Blaise's own.  Blaise and Gellert reflected one another in so many ways, it may as well reflect in their clothes at least sometimes, he thought with a slight smile. </p><p> "Where shall we take Parvati for lunch tomorrow,"  Gellert wondered, tone a little sleepy.<br/>
It made Blaise want to curl up on the bed with him, so rising from the floor, he returned to Gellert's side and did just that.  It was nice, just having the luxury to be idle and a bit lazy in the afternoon simply because they could.  There were no stupid Hogwarts classes, and no rush deadline to be met on items he and Gellert had to enchant for the war against Voldemort.<br/>
"How about McDonalds,"  Blaise suggested, lips twitching up into a grin he was unable to restrain due to already picturing the horror on Gellert's face before it manifested.</p><p>"Now you're just being mean,"  Gellert said with a laugh.<br/>
"No one deserves McDonalds, even if they give a bad psychic reading.  Have you gotten a reading from her, by the way?"<br/>
Blaise shook his head.<br/>
"I've had no reason to."<br/>
"Seriously, though, we could take her back to the Chinese place.  The food is good and we won't have wizards around to accidentally overhear anything they shouldn't," Blaise suggested.</p><p>"Sounds good," Gellert agreed.<br/>
"Almost as good as this."<br/>
As he spoke, he reached down to stroke Blaise through his slacks.<br/>
"Mmmmm," Blaise said, arching against his hand.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0065"><h2>65. Tea Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Kereston arrived for lunch the next day, Parvati was with her.  The pretty Indian girl stared openly at Gellert as she greeted Blaise.<br/>
"I keep waiting for the Grindelwald thing to be some sort of joke," she said suspiciously.<br/>
"So I'm just warning you all that if you tell me it is, I shan't be too surprised."</p><p> "No he's all too real," Kereston said dryly.<br/>
"So how did you feel about the greatly exaggerated rumour of your death," Parvati asked Gellert, tilting her head to the side as she regarded him.<br/>
She had a seer's eyes, and Gellert could tell that she was obviously searching for some sort of reaction in him.  He shrugged.<br/>
"It wasn't me, so I wasn't bothered.  Someone who was dying anyway took my place, and considering the condition he had, Voldemort likely performed a mercy.  Probably his only one," he concluded with a smirk.</p><p>"I'm still surprised that people actually believed it was you after that suspiciously unremarkable death,"  Kereston said.<br/>
"Remember? It had me a little concerned."<br/>
Gellert nodded.  Kereston had come to visit the day his death' at Voldemort's hands was reported in the paper.  She was very shaken up over the entire thing, and kept going on about how it could've been him, and how she was so glad Wolfgang had gotten him out of Nurmengard when he had.  Though oddly touched, Gellert hadn't understood her upset because with people believing he was dead, no one would assume he was free now.</p><p>"You mean because Voldemort took him out so easily without even a good fight," Parvati asked understandingly.<br/>
"I thought that was a little anticlimactic myself.  With Grindelwald being such a great wizard, you'd think he'd have given Voldemort more of a fight even without a wand.  There should've at least been some damage to the building to prove it."<br/>
"Exactly," Kereston crowed.</p><p>"Well, everyone also believes Albus Dumbledore took me down, so it isn't as if people are accustomed to thinking things out," Gellert remarked dismissively.<br/>
"Dumbledore is a rather accomplished wizard and in that case you were said to have been fighting back," Parvati said.<br/>
"You just lost. In that your apparent lack of fight against Voldemort is a bit odd, but if you're lucky people will believe it anyway, because it's comfortable for them to do so."</p><p>Gellert agreed with that last part for sure.  Far too many people allowed their comfort zone to dictate their intelligence rather than their actual reasoning.  Often that worked against him and his intentions for the wizarding world, so if it, for once, worked in his favor, he wouldn't complain.<br/>
"I was quite shocked when Kereston told me about the duel between you and Headmaster Dumbledore being a big conspiracy," Parvati said.<br/>
"I won't tell anyone, don't worry."</p><p>Gellert shrugged.<br/>
"I'm not worried."<br/>
He knew Kereston had to tell Parvati what was going on if he wanted her to look into the situation for him.<br/>
"I am rather hungry, though, so if everyone is ready..."<br/>
Kereston nodded and they apparated to the now familiar alley behind McDonalds.  Gellert couldn't help but make a face of disgust at the rancid smell coming from the place as Kereston led the way out and onto the street.  As they walked the block to the Chinese Restaurant, Parvati looked about with enough interest to make Gellert think she didn't get out around Muggles much.  He approved.</p><p>She wore, what seemed to him, traditional Indian garb, and Kereston wore green casual summer cotton slacks and a flowing purple top.  She was a cute little girl, but never seemed overly interested in dressing like a lady, opting for comfort instead.  Gellert didn't understand why but didn't care enough to ask.  Parvati's clothes were far nicer with elaborate embroidery that was pleasing to the eye and put her on a fashion level with he and Blaise.</p><p>When they arrived at the restaurant, the place was a bit more crowded than it had been the day before, but not overly so.  As soon as they were seated, Kereston ordered a pot of tea and asked that the leaves be left in.<br/>
"When the tea arrives, I will have you pour a cup and drink it, then I will read the leaves," Parvati said.<br/>
"As this isn't a general reading, but one with a specific question, think about what you want to know as hard as you can while drinking the tea.  Try not to be distracted by anything else," she told Gellert, who nodded.</p><p>The four made small talk while waiting for the tea to arrive.  Blaise and Gellert told Parvati of their travel plans and Gellert asked her about India while she looked through the menu.  Blaise and Gellert already knew they wanted to try the crab rolls and shrimp fried rice today, because yesterday they'd been torn between that and the soup and opted for the soup.<br/>
"I think I'll try the honey chicken," Parvati decided,and Kereston nodded.<br/>
"I had that yesterday.  It's good.  I'm trying the peanut chicken today."</p><p>A slender Chinese girl in a colorful flowing kimono arrived with their pot of tea and four small cups covered in a floral design.  She took their orders and hurried away, leaving Gellert to pour his tea.  As he did, he focused on his capture as Parvati had instructed. It was too hot to drink at first, so he blew on it, still thinking of his capture as he did.</p><p>He clearly recalled walking into one of the Muggle government buildings in Paris to steal some documents with three of his most loyal followers.  He'd felt an odd pressure on the back of his head, then what he believed to be a nonphysical impact that knocked him out quite suddenly.  Then he woke in Nurmengard, shock then rage slowly setting in.  Even then he expected to be set free before long, but that never came to pass.  Not for fifty years and then in a way he could never have expected.</p><p>"Remember to focus on the subject matter of the reading,"  Parvati reprimanded gently enough.<br/>
Gellert looked up at her in surprise.<br/>
"How did you know I wasn't."<br/>
For a moment there his thoughts had strayed to his recent escape, which he supposed had nothing to do with his capture when it came down to it.</p><p>"You were smiling," Parvati said, giving him a smile of her own.<br/>
"I don't expect the subject matter of your concern is a smiling matter."<br/>
Gellert chuckled.<br/>
"Right you are."<br/>
Returning his thoughts to the memory of being knocked out, Gellert raised the cup and took a tentative sip to test the tea's temperature.  It had cooled enough to drink so he took several swallows before lowering the cup again.</p><p> </p><p>Blaise, Kereston and Parvati remained silent so as not to distract his thoughts from his capture.  He continued to take swallows of the tea until the small cup was empty.<br/>
"There you are," he said, pushing it across the table to Parvati, who leaned forward to study the leaves resting on the bottom.  She frowned in concentration, not speaking for several long seconds.</p><p>"I see symbols here for many unknown factors,"  she said slowly.<br/>
"Not exactly secrets, though those are present as well, likely in the cover up of what really occurred.  The unknown factors are most probably dealing with the exact method used to capture you.  It involves something you would've been completely unaware of, so wouldn't have known to protect against it or even how."</p><p>Gellert nodded.<br/>
"That makes sense."<br/>
"The instigator of this secret does appear to be female," Parvati continued.<br/>
"One who had power, but felt you were instrumental in making her lose her political foot hold in the end.  If this is the Picquery lady, perhaps she felt responsible for not knowing that you were Graves.  Perhaps others agreed and lost faith in her so she sought to redeem herself."</p><p>"Are you able to see more about what they used to knock me out,"  Gellert asked and Parvati's frown of concentration deepened.<br/>
She remained silent for several minutes and they all waited with bated breath.<br/>
"I don't think they used magic.  It was some Muggle method, but it couldn't have been a weapon as you weren't hurt," she said, her tone perplexed.<br/>
"And oddly enough, I think they used two different things to incapacitate you."</p><p>Gellert smirked.<br/>
"I hope so."<br/>
He wasn't easy to take down, after all.<br/>
Parvati pushed the cup away with a sigh and rubbed at the spot on her brow between her eyes and just above her nose.<br/>
"That's all I can see for now."</p><p>"Thank you.  That has helped immensely," Gellert told her gratefully, meaning it.<br/>
She flashed a grin as she poured her own cup of tea, then as she already had the pot in hand, poured one for Blaise and Kereston as well.<br/>
"If someone had told me I'd be doing a psychic reading for you of all people, I wouldn't have believed them, but I suppose it's been a bit of an honor."</p><p>She cast her gaze down to the table, breath suddenly hitching.<br/>
"If only my best friend were alive...Lavender would be so impressed!"<br/>
Tears spilled down her cheeks and Kereston reached to hug her, a dismayed expression on her face.<br/>
"Oh Parvati, I'm so sorry."<br/>
"It wasn't like I saw that coming," Parvati said with a little sob as she hugged Kereston back.</p><p>"I didn't see us fighting Voldemort at Hogwarts.  I thought the students would be left out of it somehow, and I never saw that Death Eater coming for her!"<br/>
she sobbed again then drew in a deep breath, obviously struggling to contain her emotions.<br/>
"I'm sorry...I've got to get it together...We're in public," she said apologetically.<br/>
"Bugger that," Kereston said, patting her back.</p><p>"If it makes you feel any better, I didn't see my capture coming either," Gellert told her with a small sad smile.<br/>
"The psychic can be tricky at times.  Perhaps it doesn't show us those things that are fated in our lives and thus unable to be changed," he speculated.</p><p>Parvati looked up at him with a shaky smile as she wiped at her eyes.<br/>
"Thanks," she said.<br/>
"I suppose I approve of the fact that Blaise chose you," she added grudgingly.<br/>
"At least you're not someone I can't respect."<br/>
Gellert grinned.  It felt good to like Parvati in spite of the fact she had an interest in his Blaise.  He'd won after all.  Winning Blaise was the only victory that truly mattered, he supposed.</p><p>Parvati turned to Blaise with a wink.<br/>
"It seems we have something pretty important in common, Zabini."<br/>
"What's that,"  Blaise asked, speaking for the first time.<br/>
"We both love Durmstrang boys.  I am still dating the one I met at the Yule Ball.  It's been off and on but mostly on."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0066"><h2>66. Threads Of Fate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Their food arrived, and with the reading done, they were free to relax and enjoy lunch.<br/>
"I'll actually be visiting Bulgaria over the summer for a month or so," Parvati said.<br/>
"To see my man and Mag and Severus, of course.  I would've been far more upset over them moving there if I didn't already have a reason to visit."</p><p>"You're friends with Severus," Gellert asked, surprised.<br/>
Picturing the dour man chatting up a Gryffindor was...difficult for him.<br/>
"Oh yes.  He's alright once you get to know him.  When Mag became my friend he got to know me."<br/>
"And how did that happen, exactly," Gellert asked, still bemused.<br/>
At times, Mag could seem more frightful than Severus, though he wasn't exactly sure why.</p><p>"Apparently she had this thing when she was in school,"  Parvati began with an amused smile.<br/>
"She'd be all friendly to Gryffindors and smile at them to freak them out.  She's quite into Muggle psychology and she knew most Gryffindors would wonder why a Slytherin would be so friendly.  She enjoyed messing with their minds."<br/>
She chuckled.<br/>
"I was naive back when we met, and really thought she just wanted to be friends.  So I was her friend...She didn't have the heart to tell me she was just mucking about with my mind, as it turns out.  I was two years younger than her, so I guess she wasn't comfortable being mean to kids who liked her.  Anyway, it worked out for us nicely and now I know you lot too."</p><p>"That's a really strange story," Gellert said with a slight smile.<br/>
"I like it."<br/>
"So what are the two of you going to do about the info you got from Parvati's reading," Kereston asked.<br/>
The small blonde spoke in an undertone so that her voice didn't carry further than their table.<br/>
"I'm torn between just traveling and enjoying myself for a time before dealing with it, because it has been fifty years, or just dealing with it to get it over with," Gellert admitted with a sigh.</p><p>He glanced at Parvati.<br/>
"I suppose you didn't see any danger for me if I don't take care of it right away?"<br/>
She shook her head.<br/>
"She thinks you're dead, so there shouldn't be a problem."<br/>
He chuckled.<br/>
"That is rather convenient."<br/>
Turning to Blaise he asked, "Do you have a preference of when we attend to the situation, Dear?"</p><p>Blaise shrugged.<br/>
"Not particularly.  Whenever you wish is fine with me.  I was thinking of how to execute things, though."<br/>
Gellert gave him a pleased smile.  It was nice to have back up in this situation of the sort Blaise could provide, and the fact he was already working some things out was heartwarming.</p><p>As their plans for dealing with Picquery weren't exactly suitable table talk, Gellert and Parvati conversed about Bulgaria, with him recommending some interesting magical places for her to visit.  Mainly forests and old caves.  Unlike the book shops he'd enjoyed as a student, he was relatively certain the forests and caves would still be there.<br/>
"There is a particular lake that Severus may also enjoy knowing about," Gellert recalled, when lunch was nearly over.<br/>
"It is not far from Durmstrang.  It is called lake Samovila.  Its waters have magical properties and there are creatures who dwell in its depths that, if harvested, have very unique and useful magical properties as well.  Severus could come up with some very interesting potions working with what that lake has to offer."</p><p>"That sounds exciting,"  Parvati said.<br/>
"I think you've just made my vacation even better.  Thank you."<br/>
Gellert shrugged then smiled.<br/>
"For the reading, that and lunch is the least I could do."<br/>
"And you did make me feel better about Lavender...at least as better as I'm going to feel so soon after the fact,"  Parvati pointed out.<br/>
"I'll remember what you said about some things being fated."</p><p>"Very few are, I believe," Gellert replied.<br/>
"Most of the time there are choices, and thus changes we can make.  Sometimes I believe our psychic even warns us so that we can make different choices because we are...supposed to.  But there are a very few things that are not allowed to be changed for whatever reason."<br/>
Parvati nodded.<br/>
"I understand."</p><p>She sighed.</p><p>"It's just hard to accept that some of those things we aren't supposed to change are young people losing their lives."<br/>
"Perhaps if she didn't, someone else who needs to be here would've died instead," Blaise suggested, and Gellert smiled, pleased that he understood even without being a seer himself.<br/>
"For example, what if whatever Death Eater killed Lavender would've gotten Potter instead if she wasn't there to take the fall for him.  Then we'd all be under Voldemort's psychotic thumb right now," Blaise continued.</p><p>Parvati nodded.<br/>
"I hope it was that important.  I know she'd want to do whatever was necessary to bring Voldemort down."<br/>
"She died doing just that and we respect her for it along with everyone else who lost their lives that day at the battle of Hogwarts," Kereston said and Parvati gave her a tremulous smile.</p><p>When they got back home from lunch, Blaise and Gellert headed directly up stairs to make plans.<br/>
"We'll have to question her first," Gellert said as soon as he closed the bedroom door behind them.<br/>
"I need to know who else was in on it and how they took me down along with anything else she has to tell me on the matter."<br/>
Blaise nodded.<br/>
"I figured you'd decide how to go about that bit and I'd help in any way you need me to," he said, taking a seat on the edge of their bed.<br/>
"The part I've already sorted out is how to kill her when we're ready to, and of course, how not to get caught.</p><p> </p><p>Gellert grinned.<br/>
"That's sexy talk. Go on."<br/>
Blaise gave him his slow lazy grin in return.<br/>
"Well...Playing on the Snow-White fairytale, we could make Picquery dance herself to death in fancy slippers when we're done with questioning her.  We can lace the slippers with poison, because otherwise just dancing herself to death would take bloody ages.  It's a nice torment, but we'll grow bored waiting about for it to end."</p><p>Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Too right."<br/>
"So the poison will make it far faster.  It shall be the kind that seeps into the pores of the skin and kills rapidly upon contact.  It shall also be one of those poisons that leaves no trace."<br/>
Blaise gave a low chuckle.<br/>
"Mum should be pleased that I remember those bloody poison lessons so well."</p><p>"That reminds me,"  Gellert said, wandering over to sit beside Blaise on the bed.<br/>
"I still have to finish up with mine before we leave, but it shouldn't take longer than a week.  Sabra says I'm an extremely fast learner, and that I have a natural knack for the art."<br/>
Gellert couldn't help still feeling pleased by her compliment.</p><p>"Well good for you," Blaise said with a dry smile.<br/>
"I rather hated it, but I was a twelve year old kid when my education began."<br/>
He shrugged.<br/>
"I'm glad you're enjoying it though.  It's high praise from Mum that she's teaching you.  Her poison arts are a family secret and I'm very pleased she included you so quickly."<br/>
"It means a lot," Gellert said, feeling warm all over at the family inclusion.  It was more than he'd expected and it felt strangely like winning some sort of prize.  One that he would treasure.</p><p>"For the rest of my plan, though," Blaise said, bringing the conversation back to the topic of Picquery.<br/>
"We can enchant the shoes to make her dance, and we can set the enchantment to fade when she is dead.  So the poison won't have left a trace and the slippers will just be ordinary dancing slippers by the time anyone examines them."</p><p>Like Gellert, Blaise didn't like to take too much of a personal hand in killing.  With this method they would only be making a poison laced enchanted item that Picquery would be putting on all by herself.  Hands off killings were the best and it was just another thing that he and Blaise took the same view on.<br/>
"Brilliant," Gellert said.<br/>
"And properly symbolic."<br/>
He loved the way Blaise thought and showed him as much with a kiss that turned into several and led to the removal of all of their clothes.</p><p> As he slid inside of the dark haired wizard, evil queens were the last thing on Gellert's mind.<br/>
"You feel so good," he murmured, surprised for an instant at the ardent tone of his own voice.<br/>
Blaise lifted his hands to cup Gellert's face as he kissed him over and over while they moved together.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0067"><h2>67. There's Nothing You And I Won't Do</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the end, Gellert decided to travel with Blaise as he'd originally intended.  He would have a chance to see what the world had become and properly take stock before pursuing the issue of his imprisonment.  With everyone believing him dead and even if not, at least expecting him to be far older than he now was, Gellert felt safe enough to afford himself that luxury.</p><p> </p><p>He deserved a very long vacation after fifty undeserved years in his own prison.  He was also eager to get away to experience life with Blaise.  They would explore the world as well as various ways they could apply and use magic together.  He felt it would enrich their already incredible relationship and somehow bring them even closer.  He knew they would become better together in ways he couldn't even imagine.  They would have experiences that led to ideas that when properly applied would make them great.</p><p>As the days passed, their preparation for departure was steady.  Their travel plans were outlined, though subject to change if they became bored in one place or didn't find it appealing for any reason.  Within two weeks, Gellert had finished his training with Sabra.  He could identify poisons in food or on objects.  He could also mix up various concoctions from those that would be deadly to those that would only make someone mildly ill to serve as a distraction or get them out of the way.  Of course when they began packing, some choice poisons were included...just in case.</p><p> It warmed Gellert's heart to belong to a family who completely understood and encouraged the necessity to pack a few poisonous weapons...just in case.<br/>
"It greatly amuses me that you were the one out of the two of us to consider bringing along poisons," Blaise said with a chuckle, placing a green robe into one of the trunks to pad the few poison bottles that Gellert had chosen to bring along.</p><p>It was during the packing that Geo delivered up the promised money for Gellert encouraging Blaise to remain in school until the end.  It was presented in two sturdy leather bags, each feeling as if it weighed a ton.  Geo gave one to Gellert and one to Blaise.<br/>
"You both done good," he quipped in his heavy Italian accent before leaving them to their packing to a two man chorus of thank you's.</p><p>"Sellout," Blaise said, full kissable lips curving into a grin as he hefted his bag of galleons.<br/>
Seeing the sparkle of amusement in his partner's eyes, Gellert grinned back, then chuckled as he leaned to kiss Blaise.<br/>
"I don't see you turning it down," he pointed out, and Blaise laughed.<br/>
"Well not after earning it."</p><p>"Well for what it's worth, if there really had been a choice, I would've chosen to be with you over any amount of money," Gellert said.<br/>
Blaise's eyes softened.<br/>
"I know."<br/>
"It still doesn't hurt that your parents like me,"  Gellert added.<br/>
Though he flashed Blaise one of his most charming and whimsical smiles, Blaise's face remained serious.<br/>
"you really like that, don't you," he asked almost tenderly.</p><p>Gellert swallowed, feeling strangely awkward at the admission.<br/>
"Yes.  I like them a lot.  I like the way they allow me to fit into your family."<br/>
Blaise chuckled, giving his head of wavy dark hair a slight shake.<br/>
"You fit in naturally.  That's what makes it all so wonderful really."<br/>
Gellert shrugged.<br/>
"I suppose that's it.  I never felt I really fit in anywhere.  When things with your family were so natural it was...very meaningful." </p><p>Drawing Blaise close, he brushed his lips in a soft kiss.<br/>
"This conversation is all emotional and uncomfortable," he complained.<br/>
"Can't we shag or something instead?"<br/>
"Please! Emotions make me itch," Blaise agreed fervently.<br/>
Taking Gellert's hands, he placed them on his chest.<br/>
"Take my clothes off," he said, voice gone low and husky with desire.</p><p>Gellert felt his breath catch.  This never changed.  Between them it was always simmering and ready to engulf them both in an instant at the slightest touch or look.  They never tired of one another.  Instead each experience made them want more and more. Perhaps it was the mere matter of a man knowing how to please another man combined with compatible minds.  Gellert didn't know and didn't really care.  All he knew was that Blaise made him feel like no one else and stimulated him on all levels.</p><p>He took his time removing Blaise's robe, hands caressing the other wizard's slender toned body at every stage of the process.  When it was Blaise's turn to undress Gellert, he likewise took his time.<br/>
"Gods you're beautiful," he said, stroking his hands over Gellert's chest and down his arms.<br/>
"And all mine.  I love touching you, knowing that no one else can."</p><p>Closing his eyes, Gellert shivered in pleasure under Blaise's languorous hands.<br/>
"Yes," he murmured.<br/>
The idea of anyone else touching Blaise could unhinge something inside of him and he knew that.  So the fact that the other wizard was equally as possessive was...soothing.  Under Blaise's hands, he remained motionless, merely basking in the erotic sensations the other man's touch gave him.  Lying back against the bed, he gave a contented sigh, mind on nothing but Blaise's hands as they drifted over his arms, down his stomach, back up his legs to finally cup his erection.</p><p>Bending Blaise drew the very tip briefly into his mouth, tongue swirling over it in a motion that rang a groan from Gellert.  The blonde's tantalizing and erotic responses never failed to set Blaise's blood pounding.  Before sliding the German's erection out of his mouth, Blaise sucked once on the tip while massaging Gellert's chest muscles with both hands as he did.  He straightened then, one hand still massaging Gellert's chest while the other stroked his erection.  Locking eyes with the blonde, Blaise ran the tips of his fingers up and down his length.  Gellert's lips parted as his eyes fluttered closed.</p><p>"Feels so good everywhere," he breathed.<br/>
"Good," Blaise said, continuing to stroke Gellert's erection with the tips of his fingers.  His other hand wandered from Gellert's chest to his lean toned thighs.  When he stood, bending over Gellert where he lay flat on his back on their bed, the blonde's eyes opened.  Blaise ran his hand through Gellert's silken blonde curls while bending to kiss him.  His other hand still lightly stroked Gellert's erection as the kiss quickly deepened with Gellert's passionate response.</p><p>Gellert had never imagined someone merely touching him with slow caresses...everywhere, would drive him wild, but Blaise was very much different from anyone else.  Gasping at the sensations caused by Blaise's long slender fingers slowly and gently stroking his erection, Gellert's hands came up to clutch at Blaise's shoulders as his sweet release spilled over the dark haired wizard's hand.<br/>
"Oh yes," Gellert breathed against his mouth, his entire body going limp in pure satisfaction.</p><p>"How do you do that to me," he managed after a moment.<br/>
It was as if each time was somehow different.  They found something new to explore and new ways to experience pleasure together.<br/>
"You inspire me," Blaise said.<br/>
Without even having to open his eyes, Gellert heard the warm smile in his voice.</p><p>Blaise cleaned his hand with a charm as he settled onto the bed beside Gellert.<br/>
"That was hot," he murmured, trailing his lips across Gellert's naked shoulder.<br/>
"Making you finish by just stroking you like that was hot."<br/>
"Good," Gellert murmured, then grinned.<br/>
"I'd hate to finish too soon, but you made it quite impossible not to."<br/>
"As I intended," Blaise said.<br/>
"I wanted to see if I could make you even if I kept it slow and light."<br/>
"Felt so good," Gellert murmured, shivering in pleasure at the memory.</p><p>Ready to return the favor and show Blaise just how good it had felt, he rose and began running his hands over Blaise's lanky body.  Though thin as Gellert himself was, Blaise's love of swimming made his body toned and sculpted.  Gellert crouched on the bed between Blaise's long spread legs, stroking his chest and stomach while slowly drawing his erection into his mouth.  He drew hard on it, savoring the flavor and the low sound of need Blaise made deep in his throat as he thrust into Gellert's mouth.</p><p> When Gellert withdrew Blaise's erection from his mouth, he stroked it lovingly with the tips of his fingers while brushing his lips over Blaise's toned stomach and chest.<br/>
"So delicious," he murmured appreciatively.<br/>
Blaise's breath quickened and his eyes fluttered closed.  Gellert knew he'd looked much the same earlier under Blaise's ministrations.  His tongue flicked over Blaise's chest as his fingertips glided over the tip of his erection, toying with and tantalizing it.</p><p>Blaise's breath quickened and Gellert knew he was close.  He slowed his touches as Blaise's hips arched upward.<br/>
"Oh Gods yes, Gellert.  AH!"<br/>
With an exhalation, Blaise's warm orgasm jetted over Gellert's hand.  This time the amount was especially impressive, Gellert thought, bending to give the tip of Blaise's slowly fading erection a light lick before straightening to work his own cleaning charm.</p><p>There was something deeply satisfying about making Blaise feel incredible that Gellert had never gotten from being with a woman.  He'd never cared about their reactions one way or the other so long as they seemed pleased enough.  Eventually the two returned to their packing and got almost all of it done that night.  The rest was taken care of the next day, and the day after they were off to the first stop of what would be a very long and magical vacation. They chose to apparate to Egypt under disillusionment rather than taking a cruise as Mag and Severus had done.  They'd enjoyed the act of sailing where as Blaise and Gellert just wanted to experience Egypt directly.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0068"><h2>68. The World Is Our Oyster, and Oysters Are Yummy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Their first day in Egypt was taken up with sight seeing and enjoying the Egyptian cuisine of Cairo. They had lunch and dinner at two different restaurants so they could more deeply explore the various types of food being served.  Once they chose a suitably posh hotel, they had Bramble apparate their trunks directly into the hotel room.</p><p>They continued to explore a bit even after the evening meal, and wound up in a bar called The Pharaoh's Tomb.  The interior even looked like a tomb with giant statues of gods and kings standing about and the stage where the local band played was shaped like a great sarcophagus.  The drinks were served in canopic jars, each with the head of Anubis carved in raised relief on the side.</p><p>They ordered the local liqueur, a sweet thick drink that Severus and Mag had strongly recommended.  After a few sips, it left them relaxed and pleasantly light headed in a way that felt somehow expansive.  It was interesting and not at all unpleasant.  As they sipped from     their canopic jars, the two stood watching the band.<br/>
The music had a hypnotic element that made Blaise want to move his hips.  When he saw Gellert swaying slightly to the beat, Blaise slipped an arm around the German's waist, matching his motions.</p><p> </p><p>"It's nice, isn't it?"<br/>
Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Very different, and just what we needed.<br/>
"Agreed.  I get bored so easily, it's nice to find something unlike anything I've ever seen before."<br/>
Gellert nodded, leaning into Blaise as his gaze still studied the band.<br/>
"I never had a chance to make it here in the past.  It is nice to have another first time with you in exploring it."<br/>
The trip they'd outlined was peppered with places like this that neither had explored before.  This afforded them the fun of sharing the new experience together.  Other places on their list, Gellert had once known well, so he would be able to lead the explorations to a degree while revisiting old stomping grounds to see how they'd changed.  Other than England and Scotland, Blaise had only frequented Italy until now, so he could show Gellert around the area eventually, as it was a place in which the blonde had previously spent little time.</p><p>For nearly a year Blaise had imagined how wonderful it would be to travel the world with Gellert and so far it was shaping up to be just as brilliant as he'd imagined.  They stayed out rather late, enjoying the music at The Pharaoh's Tomb and the drinks as well.  By the time they made it back to their hotel room, they were rather intoxicated and in high spirits.  The heady feeling brought on by the drink pared with their usual insatiable lust for one another made for rather frenzied and impassioned love making.  Love Making wasn't the way either normally thought of what they did, but this time it felt more like that than just hot shagging.  As Blaise moved inside of Gellert, their chests pressed together as the blonde strained up toward him.  It felt as though the energy of their hearts somehow connected through the chest to chest contact, communicating the love neither spoke of frequently when not in the heat of the moment. It gave the sense of something on a deeper spiritual level, even more than on their very first night together.</p><p>Their mouths ravaged one another as they sought to become one.  When they exploded together, both saw stars, it was that intense...or perhaps it was the effect of the drink...Either way neither was complaining.  They passed out without even untangling from one another or cleaning up, and didn't wake until the howler arrived in the morning.<br/>
"What the hell," Blaise complained, dragging a pillow to cover both of their heads.<br/>
The voice issuing from the thing was Sabra's.<br/>
"Boys.  It turns out your uncle Basilio is also in Cairo at present.  I thought you'd like to see one another, so I arranged for you to meet him for lunch at a place called the golden egg.  You should be there in an hour."</p><p>"Shit, what time is it," Blaise wondered, and rolling over he blinked at the numbered hour glass on the bedside table.  It was eleven A.M.  They'd slept in.  It didn't matter.  They were on no schedule, and the point of this extended vacation was for them to do entirely as they pleased.<br/>
"I like Uncle Bas," Gellert said with a grin.<br/>
"Wonder what he's doing here."<br/>
"I suppose we'll be finding out in an hour," Blaise said as he stretched and ran one hand across his eyes.<br/>
"Well...that means we have half an hour to wake up in the right way," Gellert said.<br/>
He had a persistent morning erection with Blaise's name on it.</p><p>In the end, they were only ten minutes late for lunch with Uncle Basilio.  The Golden Egg was very...golden.  It had gold and jewels encrusting the walls, again like some pharaoh's tomb or perhaps a dragon's lair.  Though Blaise doubted the gold or jewels were real, they at least appeared to be so.  Blaise's uncle waved them over to a cozy corner table that was, of course, egg shaped and golden.</p><p> </p><p>He wore comfortable looking Egyptian garb and almost seemed to fit right in.<br/>
"Uncle Bas," Gellert called, waving happily back.<br/>
Blaise grinned, silently betting that his Uncle was thinking about the fact he'd never expected Gellert Grindelwald of all people to ever call him Uncle.</p><p>"I took the liberty of ordering us all drinks," he said as they seated themselves side by side across from him.<br/>
"As I'm paying you can't bitch if you don't like them."<br/>
His laugh was rich and good natured, and Gellert found himself laughing back.<br/>
"As long as they're not poisoned, I won't complain."<br/>
"Well hell you were only a little late," Basilio said, laughing again.</p><p>"How are the two of you enjoying your trip?"<br/>
"Well it just began yesterday, but it's been very good," Blaise replied.<br/>
"What brings you to Egypt?"<br/>
Basilio put a finger to his lips.<br/>
"As usual, my answer is not suitable for public conversation.  You can come back to my hotel after lunch if you like, and I'll fill you in there."<br/>
"Well now we must," Gellert said merrily.<br/>
"We do love anything that isn't suitable for public conversation."</p><p>The drinks arrived then.  They were sweet, fruity, and packed a punch.  Blaise didn't drink much as a rule, and neither did Gellert, but this was their vacation.<br/>
Lunch consisted of a delicious shawerma,and stuffed grape leaves.  It was light but filling which was perfect for the heat of Egypt.  Too much heavy food on the stomach only made heat more unbearable.  As they ate, Blaise and Gellert told Basilio what they'd done thus far in Egypt.<br/>
"Yeah I was at that bar a few nights ago...Picked up a hot girl there too," Basilio commented of The Pharaoh's Tomb.<br/>
"But that's not something either of you would appreciate, never mind."</p><p>He offered them an apologetic smile and shrug.<br/>
"We used to enjoy girls, and we're glad you enjoyed yourself," Blaise said with a chuckle.<br/>
"Only we enjoyed ourselves much more," Gellert said, leaning to run his lips down the side of Blaise's neck.<br/>
Though the blonde was obviously teasing Uncle Basilio, the feel of Gell's lips on his neck made Blaise shiver in pleasure.</p><p>"Alright, Alright," Basilio laughed, rolling his eyes at Blaise's lustful expression.<br/>
"So you've already planned out your entire trip," he asked.<br/>
"Oh no, not the entire thing," Gellert shook his head.<br/>
"We plan to travel for a few years at least.  We've mapped out about nine places to visit thus far, and after that we'll see where else we end up."<br/>
"Did you get one of those wizarding travel guides," Basilio asked.<br/>
"Sabra's always getting them in the mail and they outline the best hotels and such for wizards in each country or major city."</p><p>"Oh yes she gave us one, and we did use it for some of our destinations," Gellert replied.<br/>
"Those are always handy, but there are some areas more off the beaten path that we're also interested in exploring."<br/>
"I get you there," Basilio nodded.<br/>
"I practically live off the beaten path."</p><p>When the meal was over, Basilio paid and the two thanked him politely, promising to return the favor.  As it turned out, his hotel was also the one in which Blaise and Gellert were staying.  When Basilio unlocked the door to his room, they were greeted with a blast of cold air from the air conditioner.<br/>
"That feels great," Basilio said with a sigh of contentment as he nudged the door shut with his foot.<br/>
Blaise and Gellert were moving toward the room's two arm chairs when a tapping sound distracted them.  They turned to see the skeleton of a bird walking around on the desk, pecking idly at the gleaming mahogany wood.</p><p>"Oh I forgot about your pet," Blaise said with a laugh.<br/>
"The bloody thing startled me."<br/>
"He's great," Basilio said with a grin.<br/>
"I don't have to feed him and he never leaves droppings."<br/>
Gellert stared at the bird.<br/>
"I got him in Prague," Basilio told the blonde.<br/>
"There is this charming dark shop the two of you must see when you visit.  It's run by a few dark wizards.  One of them is a necromancer.  He found this raven dead from smashing into a window or a spell or something."<br/>
He shrugged as if to say all manner of things could kill birds.<br/>
"Anyway he cleaned all the meat and feathers and such off the bones.  Then he put the spirit back into the body after casting a spell to ensure the bones would stay together."</p><p> "What made you decide that you needed a dead bird in your life," Gellert asked, looking amused.<br/>
"It's something different," Basilio said with a shrug.<br/>
"That it is," Gellert agreed.<br/>
"Does it have a name?"<br/>
"I call him Wisdom." Basilio said.<br/>
"I mean, fuck, after being dead and then back in his body, I hope he's learned something."<br/>
He kicked off his shoes before sprawling out on the bed.  As Blaise and Gellert had taken the chairs, it was the only other place for him to sit unless he transfigured something.</p><p>"Well, tell us what you're up to here," Blaise said eagerly.<br/>
"I'm studying the curses on the tombs," Basilio said.<br/>
"Someone wants to pay me to curse a few objects for them...to keep anyone from lifting them, you know.  And I thought...what better curses to copy than some of the oldest and best."<br/>
"That's worthy," Gellert said with a nod.<br/>
"How do you find the curses?  Are they unlike any you've ever seen?"</p><p>Basilio nodded.<br/>
"As a matter of fact they are.  Even the flavor of magic is different...Older and that's surely part of it, but...you know how languages change over the centuries?"<br/>
They both nodded.<br/>
"It's like the brand of magic wizards use changes as well.  Of course you know this.  Spells change and some become lost to time.  Wizards develop their own style, and it can set a trend.  Trends change.  But this is...different...deeper than that.  It's difficult to explain. It's almost foreign.  Like the magic of elves or goblins is foreign, but not quite that foreign, you know?  It's difficult to believe we, as humans, have evolved or changed that greatly, but perhaps we have."</p><p>"It rather makes perfect sense,"  Gellert said.<br/>
"Wands are great but have made wizards...lazy. Even, me to some degree. Why bother with your own resources when you can rely on a trusty tool. Of course I set myself sometimes the mental task  of imagining. How a spell would work without the wand. How to make it faster, stronger, long lasting. How to incorporate different triggers into it.<br/>
Naturally not everybody would make such an effort. If you just care about a spell being performed, you probably would not consider its intricacies. That makes wands perfect for the masses. They don't have to think, just do, automatically.</p><p> </p><p>Wizards of old, they had to work out the kinks from the spells. When they made their wands, not always perfectly, they at least made them themselves. In alignment with the natural laws. They had to understand the forces around them and their influence. They had to be thoughtful, careful and creative all at the same time.<br/>
The wand, as useful as it is, and I would be the first to admit it is, is also the perfect equalizer. It makes it seem that wizards are all equal to one another in potential because everybody basically does the same thing with it," Gellert explained, and Blaise dryly chuckled.</p><p>Though this conversation took a different turn, it still touched on their favorite topic, how lesser wizards never had the capacity to or the interest in unraveling the mysteries of magic, in the way he and Gellert did.<br/>
"Never occurred to me that such a small change in performing magic could have such a dire effect on its quality, but your explanation makes sense," Basilio shrugged, easily accepting the idea.     </p><p>"Do you think you can imitate the curses given time to study them, though," Blaise asked.<br/>
"I hope so, but I'll only know with practice," Basilio said.<br/>
"If not, at least what I see on the ancient tombs will inspire me to come up with something properly devastating of my own to dissuade any thieves."     Blaise and Gellert went with Basilio later that day to study some of the curses on the oldest tombs.  He hadn't exaggerated the strangeness of the old Egyptian magic and the two were fascinated.<br/>
"It's a much quieter magic," Basilio commented appreciatively.</p><p>"Not nearly as noticeable as our curses."<br/>
"Indeed," Gellert said, nodding thoughtfully in approval of the observation.<br/>
"If you don't end up figuring them out, I suggest instead to figure out how to crack them.  Learn to take something apart, and you've figured it out from the inside."<br/>
"Well damn," Basilio said slowly.<br/>
"That's brilliant!  It looks as if all the rumors about your magical prowess were true."</p><p>Gellert shook his head in feigned modesty.<br/>
"No, no.  They were all actually greatly UNDER exaggerated. I'm actually far better even than you've heard."<br/>
Laughing he tossed his blonde curls, and Blaise felt his heart quicken at the sight of the setting sun catching in Gellert's hair.</p><p>  "Really though," Gellert said, expression serious once again.<br/>
"I cannot fully take credit for this specific idea. It was mentioned originally by a Greek wizard in the tenth century calling himself Ganymede. He called it deconstruction. It was in some sense how he viewed the world. All philosophical and such. Whether or not his philosophy was useful, his magical approach certainly was."</p><p>"Agreed," Basilio said.<br/>
"Philosophy also has its place...goes down better after a lot to drink."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0069"><h2>69. Taking our chances, side by side</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For the rest of their stay in Egypt, Blaise and Gellert spent most of their time with Uncle Basilio.  They took him to the shops Mag and Severus had recommended for black market replications of ancient spell scrolls and those for new and old pieces of talismanic jewelry.  Of course they all loaded up on ancient spell scrolls.  Uncle Basilio got a protective eye of Horus pendant and Blaise and Gellert picked up a few various amulets to study then sell in their shop when ever they got around to opening it in a few years or so.</p><p>The pendants, Blaise sent home with Bramble when the elf dropped in to get the laundry.  They kept the scrolls with them to study whenever they found a bit of down time.  At night, Uncle Basilio took them to various Egyptian nightclubs that he'd discovered.  The music was rather loud, but hypnotic so pleasing for a few hours at a time if one had drinks.  The drinks were much in the same vein as those Blaise and Gellert had in the bar, the Pharaoh's tomb, where they'd heard that band the first night.  The sweet liqueur opened the mind and expanded the consciousness.</p><p>When the three men weren't drinking at a corner table together, Blaise and Gellert owned the dance floor, fully aware that they were the hottest couple in the place.<br/>
"You look so beautiful under these lights," Blaise told Gellert, leaning into the blonde's chest to press a heated kiss to his mouth as they swayed to the music.<br/>
It was their fifth night in Egypt, and thus far they were enjoying Basilio's party lifestyle.  Gellert's hands tightened their grip on Blaise's narrow hips, drawing him even closer as their kiss deepened.  Their groins thrust toward one another, causing their erections to touch deliciously through their clothes.</p><p>As the two were shamelessly grinding on one another and showing off their beautiful bodies in tight fitting pants and clinging short sleeved silk shirts, Basilio was on the hunt for stunning, interesting women.  If he found someone he deemed worthy of his attentions, the two left him alone to romance her.  Last night he'd left the club before them with an Egyptian beauty on his arm, but tonight he was still scoping the place out.</p><p>When Blaise and Gellert were ready for another drink, they left the dance floor and headed for the bar.  Basilio joined them.<br/>
"Get me whatever you're having," Basilio told Blaise.<br/>
"Same one I've been drinking every night," Blaise said, and Basilio nodded.<br/>
"Yeah, that one."<br/>
Once the drinks were paid for the three headed for a corner table.</p><p> "You know, a year ago, I thought Blaise would be on the hunt for fine girls with me," Basilio said a bit glumly.<br/>
"Now you're a couple and I don't have anyone to talk lady shop with."<br/>
He glanced over at Gellert with a grin.<br/>
"It's good you're at least cool.  If he'd settled with a dull bloke it would really suck for me."<br/>
"He said suck," Blaise grinned.<br/>
"Sounds tempting," Gellert said, idly resting an arm on Blaise's shoulders.</p><p>Blaise shivered with pleasure at his touch and leaned into him.<br/>
"You want us to be wing men for you," he asked his uncle.<br/>
"I don't need any wing man to get a girl,"  Basilio protested.<br/>
"It's just the joy of sharing the hunt is all.  The two of you are practically married.  Again not that I'm complaining because you're cool," he told Gellert.<br/>
"But two wing men mean you're sure to fly.  No bird can manage with just one, after all," Gellert said, an amused grin playing over his lips.</p><p>"You're a funny guy," Basilio told him with a roll of his eyes.<br/>
Gellert laughed, tossing back his blonde hair.<br/>
"Indeed I am.  To know me is to love me," he proclaimed grandly.</p><p>As it turned out, Basilio did find a lady companion by the end of the night.  When Blaise and Gellert returned to their hotel room, they took their dance moves to the bed, shedding clothes as they went.  Their mouths melded together as their hips thrust toward one another in a slow rhythm.  Blaise drew Gellert on top of him and they arched together, erections pressed against one another as their hips pumped.  Staring into one another's eyes, sharing long slow kisses, they reveled in the sensations of merely allowing their bodies to grind.</p><p>"With you, even this is enough," Blaise breathed, feeling himself so very close to exploding.<br/>
"Oh yes," Gellert agreed, tone husky and thick with desire.<br/>
"No one else could...ever..."<br/>
The blonde was unable to finish his sentence.  Their pace had picked up, and it was too good to think through.  With gasps and inarticulate sounds, the two thrust hard against one another a final time, spilling their completion in hot jets over them both.</p><p>"I love you," Blaise said, holding Gellert close, uncaring of the cooling semen on both of them.<br/>
"Say it again," Gellert said, but kissed him slowly before he could.<br/>
Blaise tangled his hands lightly in Gellert's curls, smiling against the blonde's mouth.<br/>
"I love you...More than anything.  You make me feel like nothing else."<br/>
"Good," Gellert said, pressing even closer.<br/>
"Because I can't imagine life without you."</p><p>Between the combination of the Egyptian liqueur and incredibly hot sex, the two of them passed out without speaking again.  They woke late and took their time getting out of bed.  After a long shower in which they pleasured one another extensively, they had a late breakfast with Uncle Bas, before leaving Egypt for Switzerland.</p><p>Though vastly different from Egypt, Blaise liked the feel of the place right away.  The weather differed extremely from the desert heat of Egypt.  The crisp air held a chill that didn't feel at all like the end of July even though it was.<br/>
"I did like a lot about Egypt, but I won't miss the bloody weather," he told Gellert who nodded his ready agreement.<br/>
"For sure."</p><p>They stood surrounded by beautiful mountains, beside a quaint cabin like inn that was only visible to wizards.  Bramble already arranged for their accommodations and had their trunks waiting in their room.  The inn had a cozy dining room downstairs, and for the guests to relax and socialize, there was a tea room and a library.  The bedrooms were upstairs.  Though they were eager to see what was in the library, they needed to change out of their summer clothes into something warmer for the more Autumn like weather of Switzerland.</p><p>Their bedroom had a fireplace, and a very soft looking bed piled high with thick puffy looking feather comforters.<br/>
"The place seems much as it did the last time I was here in the late twenties," Gellert commented.<br/>
With a pleased smile, he ran a hand over the ornate square wood paneling of the wall.<br/>
"Did you share a room with anyone," Blaise asked, unable to keep a note of tart jealousy from his voice.<br/>
"Vinda Rosier, perhaps?"<br/>
Gellert gave a pleased smirk as he slowly stalked toward the dark haired wizard.<br/>
"No.  I slept alone.  I think this stay will be far more...exciting," he murmured.</p><p>Keeping his arms at his sides, Gellert leaned toward Blaise, lips trailing across the other man's cheek to brush ever so lightly across his lips.<br/>
"We should change our clothes," he whispered.<br/>
Blaise groaned, the sudden erection in his pants nearly painful with its intensity.<br/>
"And as you know, before we can put on new clothes, we must first remove these," Gellert continued, words barely above a whisper, lips moving against Blaise's own as he kept the slight contact.</p><p>Like animals they were on one another, tearing at clothes as they fell onto the bed.  They were all hungry mouths and ardent hands.  Things only slowed when Gellert coated himself in cream and slid inch by careful inch into Blaise's tight waiting warmth.  The bed was as soft as it looked, and it cradled them as they moved tenderly together.<br/>
"AH Gods, yes, Gellert," Blaise moaned, and Gellert made an inarticulate sound against his mouth.<br/>
Both held onto the sweet pleasure for as long as they were able before exploding together.</p><p>Later they went down for tea. They were the only wizards present in the tea room save for a short dark haired little man with thick glasses.  He nodded at them when they entered, then remained focused on the news paper in his lap until he finished his tea and left.  Blaise and Gellert took their time over a pot of spiced ginger tea and a small variety tray of charming little miniature sandwiches.  When they'd had their fill, they headed for the library.  It was small but packed wall to wall with shelves, each filled to capacity with old books and scrolls in a variety of languages.</p><p>"Wizards from everywhere come here," Gellert explained.<br/>
"So most can find something interesting to study even if they don't know multiple languages."<br/>
"Or translation spells," Blaise added with a grin.<br/>
"Some of the darker works are blocked from translation spells, I'll have you know," Gellert said, biting back a laugh.<br/>
"Did you come across any such here," Blaise asked.<br/>
Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Well," Blaise asked.<br/>
"What did you do with those?"</p><p>"Guess," Gellert suggested, taking a particularly large scroll down from a corner shelf.  He moved to one of the room's few chairs, a Victorian balloon affair, and seated himself, unrolling the scroll carefully over his knees.<br/>
Blaise thought for a moment, then grinned.<br/>
"You blocked the translation blocker."<br/>
"Exactly," Gellert said with a pleased laugh, once more impressed with Blaise's quick mind, so much like his own to discern and fool particular patterns.</p><p> Blaise found a book on mythological enchanted items, and it was already in English so he didn't even need a translation spell to read it.  He drew a chair up beside Gellert's own and settled beside him to read.<br/>
"What's the scroll," he asked, leaning to peer curiously at it.<br/>
"Old French, with no translation blocker," Gellert said.<br/>
"It's geographical, mapping out some of the world's most magical places from hollow mountains to bespelled hot springs."</p><p>Indeed the scroll was a map and due to Gellert's translation spell, English words hovered in the air just above the ornate swirls of old French.<br/>
"Are we visiting some of these places then," Blaise asked, gesturing at the map.<br/>
Gellert nodded slowly.<br/>
"I think it could be interesting.  One of these springs, for example, is said to act on the mind somewhat like Ravenclaw's diadem.  That could be fun."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0070"><h2>70. Let me entertain you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blaise and Gellert read without saying much for around an hour and a half.  The library was cozy with an old world feel and enough rare material to hold both of their interests.  The chairs were obviously antique, and the air smelled of old parchment.  When the door opened, then shut quietly again behind whoever had entered, neither looked up.  When someone came into a library it wasn't generally to socialize after all.  It was to read, so this new person likely wouldn't want to be disturbed or interrupted anymore than Blaise and Gellert did.  The tea room was more for socializing.</p><p>Even when the new comer took a book and came to sit near them, neither glanced up.  Eventually Gellert decided to go up stairs to their room for a quill and parchment to take notes on the map he'd found on that old scroll.<br/>
"I'll be right back,"  he told Blaise quietly.<br/>
"I want to take notes on that map."<br/>
Blaise nodded, glancing up from his book to smile at Gellert.<br/>
"Don't be long.  I shall miss you."</p><p>"Blaise Zabini?  Well bloody hell, fancy seeing you here!"<br/>
Blaise glanced over at the other occupied chair.  The person who'd entered the library a bit ago was the first girl he'd ever shagged.<br/>
"Mila!  Hello.  This is a surprise...obviously."</p><p>"Well obviously," Mila agreed fervently, widening her eyes.<br/>
"It isn't every day one runs into a school mate on vacation.  I call it my 'I survived Voldemort' trip."<br/>
Placing the book she was reading in her lap, she clapped her hands and gave Blaise a dazzling smile.<br/>
Mila was a small delicate ethereal sort of girl.  Her long entirely straight white blonde hair was fine and almost wispy.  Nearly like a ghostly cloud, it floated around her as she spun in her chair to include Gellert in her ecstatic smile.</p><p>"Who's your pretty friend, Blaise," she asked coyly.<br/>
"Taken," Blaise said, reaching to place a possessive hand on Gellert's thigh.<br/>
"His name is Gellert, though.  Gellert this is Mila.  She was in Ravenclaw house at Hogwarts."</p><p>Mila, always one to be extremely open, frank, and at random times unfiltered, flashed a quick look from Blaise to Gellert and back again.<br/>
"Taken by you, is it?"<br/>
Blaise nodded as Gellert covered Blaise's hand that rested on his thigh with his own, giving the dark haired wizard a proud smile.<br/>
"Indeed," he said, turning his blue gaze to Mila. "My dance card is forever full."</p><p>"How charming," Mila said, clapping again.<br/>
She seemed to believe the world was putting on a performance for her and she was always quite enthralled.<br/>
"When I had my delightful dalliance with Blaise, he was rather anti commitment just as I am.  Say why don't we all go out for a drink?  This conversation feels as though it could become drink worthy," she said happily.<br/>
"Alright," Gellert said, in part to hear more about Blaise's history with this interesting little girl.</p><p>"Brilliant," Mila enthused, bouncing a little in her chair.<br/>
"There's a charming little bar just around the corner that serves the best hot drinks.  My favorite is the cinnamon apple spiced brandy.  I'll buy the first round, and if the two of you are very nice, perhaps the second," Mila promised with a wink.</p><p>The three rose and replaced the books they were reading on the bookshelves.  Mila led the way out of the library and then out of the inn itself.<br/>
"No need to apparate, it's really quite close," she said.<br/>
"Quite literally around the corner."<br/>
Mila wasn't exaggerating.  The little bar was practically a wand's throw from the inn.  It was a cozy looking squat building from the outside, with smoke rising from a chimney.</p><p>Once inside, they were greeted by the smell of wood smoke, and there was a cheerful fire burning in a small fireplace in the corner of the room.<br/>
"Ooh let's get our drinks and sit by the fire," Mila said eagerly, doing a little skip and jig in place that made Gellert smile.<br/>
She wore a long full green skirt and a filmy flowing green and purple top with long bell sleeves, and reminded him oddly of a little creature out of a fairy story.</p><p>"Alright," Gellert agreed, and Mila skipped up to the bar, ordering three hot apple cinnamon spiced brandy drinks.  As they waited for the drinks to be prepared and served, Mila turned to lean her back against the bar to better regard Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
"The two of you do make a hot couple," she observed and Gellert smiled.<br/>
He liked hearing that and didn't bother hiding it.<br/>
"We do, don't we?"<br/>
Tossing back his blonde curls, he leaned his shoulder familiarly against Blaise's.</p><p>"So you're from Germany, then," Mila asked and Gellert nodded.<br/>
Mila cocked her head to the side curiously as she regarded him.<br/>
"Has anyone ever told you that you look like..."<br/>
She hesitated, twirling a strand of ethereal white hair around a small finger.<br/>
Her silvery eyes flicked to the bar, then back to Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
"Someone famous," she concluded her sentence.</p><p>Gellert grinned.<br/>
"Blaise calls me God quite a lot if that counts...In bed, you understand."<br/>
He couldn't keep his grin from widening as he spoke.  He watched her face, amused and admittedly interested in her reaction.<br/>
She tittered, dropping the strand of hair back over her shoulder to hang down her back with the rest of her filmy locks.<br/>
"I thought he and I had a rather fun time, but he didn't call me god," she pretend pouted.<br/>
"Not even goddess."</p><p>"WE can't all be gods," Gellert told her kindly.<br/>
"You were a lot of fun," Blaise said.<br/>
"I bloody know I was," Mila laughed.<br/>
"You men can't fake enjoying yourselves, remember."<br/>
"You enjoyed yourself as well, as I recall," Blaise said.<br/>
Mila grinned.<br/>
"Indeed.  You were a lot of fun too."<br/>
She winked.<br/>
"Satisfyingly thorough."</p><p>"There you are, three hot spiced apple brandy drinks!"<br/>
The bartender was a middle aged wizard with entirely too much shoulder length bushy hair.  Like Gellert, his German accent was thick, but also like Gellert, his English was good.  Mila scooped one of the drinks off the bar, calling a thank you to the barwizard.  She left Gellert and Blaise to take the others as she skipped toward the armchairs stationed near the fire.  As it happened, there were only two.</p><p>"We can just sit at the bar," Blaise said with a careless shrug.<br/>
"There are plenty of seats there."<br/>
"No bloody way," Mila protested.<br/>
"I wanted the fire ambiance.  You two can have the chairs and I'll sit on the arm of one.  Those arms are wide and padded and overstuffed.  My little bottom will be quite comfortable...and speaking of little bottoms...Sit...I have questions."</p><p>This announcement nearly caused Blaise to choke on his drink.  Chuckling, Gellert flopped down in one of the chairs and tugged Blaise down into the other with one hand on his arm.  Blaise didn't resist, and Mila perched on the arm of his chair closest to Gellert so she could hear them both.<br/>
"It is a good brandy," Gellert said, taking another sip of the sweet warm drink.<br/>
"Good," Mila said.<br/>
"I'm glad you like it!"</p><p>"You have questions," Gellert asked, giving Mila an amused smile.<br/>
She was most definitely entertaining.<br/>
"Oh yes," Mila said, leaning toward him happily."There are the basics, like how did you meet and all that, and I am interested to know, but I'd also like to know how it works for two men. I mean I have concepts in my mind, you understand...but I still need details."<br/>
At that Blaise took a large swallow of his drink for fortification and Gellert smirked, blue eyes full of an amused sparkle.</p><p>"Well he just gave you a good demonstration.  When he swallows like that, it feels bloody incredible!"<br/>
Rather than flinching as many girls would've, Mila leaned forward in avid interest.<br/>
"I think I do well in that department.  How is it different with a man."<br/>
"A man has the same equipment, so he really knows what feels good on another level.  While you are skilled, Gellert does to me what he always wanted done to him that no girl ever got quite right.  Or he takes the moves that girls did on him that he liked, and improves upon them as do I," Blaise explained.</p><p>To his surprise, Gellert found Blaise's apt description arousing, and had to shift in his chair in an attempt to hide that fact out of politeness to Mila.  He did still know how to treat a lady, even if he no longer wished to shag one.<br/>
"I see," Mila said, nodding.<br/>
"What about the full shagging then," she wanted to know.<br/>
"You know, the penetration."</p><p>Blaise gave a little cough, and Gellert grinned.  This should be more embarrassing for him, but Mila was so amusing about it, he was enjoying himself far too much.<br/>
"You're obviously a smart girl.  You already have the basics figured out, so what exactly is it that you want to know," he asked, all the while struggling not to laugh.<br/>
"Well for one, doesn't it hurt going in the bum, and if so why do you do it and if not, why doesn't it hurt?  Because it really seems like it should.  I have had some very difficult bowel movements, to be frankly in context."<br/>
She had the grace to blush, and Gellert finally caved and let out a chuckle.  Like the brave young lady she was, Mila pushed on in spite of her red cheeks.<br/>
"That hurt, and they weren't as large as Blaise's wanker."</p><p>Blaise rolled his ice blue eyes and let out a reluctant nearly pained laugh.<br/>
"You don't have a prostate gland in your bum, and a difficult shit hurts everyone, even those of us with a prostate."<br/>
"The prostate gland is located inside of a man's behind, and when worked properly, it stimulates a very powerful orgasm," Gellert clarified, taking pity on Blaise.</p><p>Mila's eyes widened.<br/>
"Really?"<br/>
"Really," Blaise said.<br/>
"Where do you learn about these things," Mila asked.<br/>
"Well I don't know where other people learn, but I heard about it from Draco Malfoy," Blaise said.<br/>
"Draco shags boys too," Mila asked.<br/>
"Not that I would ever shag him, so if he does, unlike with the two of you, it's no great loss."</p><p>"Why thank you," Gellert said, giving her a warm smile.<br/>
Flattery did get people far with him if they meant it and she obviously did.<br/>
"No, Draco was talking about getting girls to work his prostate with their finger while orally pleasing him," Blaise said.<br/>
"Just when I decided to make a play for Gellert, I thought it was something worth exploring."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0071"><h2>71. The Best Pets Can Look After Themselves</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So as you say you're anti commitment, you weren't one of those girls who continued to obsessively chase my poor Blaise after he shagged them," Gellert asked Mila.</p><p>He was still trying to understand the dynamic of her and Blaise's relationship as the dark haired wizard had never mentioned her before.</p><p>"Gods no," Mila said with a merry laugh.</p><p>"He and I talked about that before hand, and we were quite on the same page.  No dating, no shagging again, because why after you've already done that?  Even if it's good, there just seems to be no reason to repeat the same thing over and over when there are so many more things out there to experience."</p><p>Blaise nodded.</p><p>"And she kept her word, bless her."</p><p>"So...What made you decide to go back for seconds and forevers with this pretty blonde," Mila asked Blaise, her expression one of open curiosity.</p><p>"Because I just can't imagine doing that myself with anyone."</p><p>Blaise smiled fondly at Gellert, eyes on him as he answered Mila.</p><p>"He is everything.  He gets me high like a drug, he gives me mental and physical stimulation and satisfaction.  Everything we do from magic to shagging keeps growing and expanding and getting better.  He excites and thrills me like nothing else and I need him.  I hate being separated from him.  He is all things magic and the shagging is out of this bloody world."</p><p>Gellert felt his heart fly at Blaise's honest yet nearly poetic words.  They made him feel special like nothing else ever had.</p><p>"Gods I love you," he said, leaning past Mila to kiss Blaise, reaching around the little girl to caress his back.</p><p>Blaise's mouth tasted of the warm spiced apple brandy and Gellert wanted to taste more. Blaise moaned as Gellert's tongue ran over his lower lip.</p><p>"Oh come on, guys," Mila complained, extending both elbows to poke one into each.</p><p>"You did ask,"  Blaise reminded her.</p><p>As Gellert drew away, Blaise gave a regretful sigh.</p><p>"You can't imagine how good it feels," he told her in way of an apology.</p><p>"Whatever," Mila said, but her grin softened the grumpy response.</p><p>"I'm good sampling the world as I go, thanks very much."</p><p>"The world sounds like a lot," Gellert said with a laugh.</p><p>"I didn't mean I'd shag the world," Mila said, laughing too.</p><p>"I've only shagged three guys so far I'll have you know.  I just mean if I see someone I want I'm free to do whatever I like about it.  You, for example, if you weren't forever taken."</p><p>"I'm flattered," Gellert said with a smile.</p><p>"So how did the two of you meet," Mila asked.</p><p>"Through a friend," Blaise said.</p><p>"And of course we connected instantly.  We have a lot in common.  Gellert is an enchanter as well.  After we've traveled the world for a few years, we're going to open up our own shop.  We'll sell rare antique magical items that we come across in our travels, as well as consignment items that other wizards make if they want to put them into the shop.  Mostly, though, we're going to design and make our own items to sell.  Things that won't exist until we make them.  That's going to make us a ton of money."</p><p>"Ooh that's exciting," Mila said, placing her nearly empty glass in her lap long enough to clap her hands in glee.<br/>"I'll come shop for sure.  I can't wait to see what sorts of things the two of you will make.  Give me an idea of something I can look forward to," she coaxed.</p><p>"Well we'll be making many items for a darker sort of market," Blaise said.<br/>"There could be talismans to unravel magic in a close radius to the wearer, for example."</p><p>"Sounds brilliant," Mila said.<br/>"And expensive."</p><p>Blaise grinned. "Yes."</p><p>"Perhaps there could also be a talisman to drain the energy temporarily of those in the radius of the wearer," Gellert added.</p><p>"If you would like your opponents not to be at their best, you'll want something like that."</p><p>"I think a lot of people would want that," Mila said.</p><p>"Well we won't make that many, else the item will be too common, and thus put everyone on an equal footing,"  Gellert assured.<br/>"There will only be a few of each sold, and only those who truly want them can afford them, because trust me they shall be paying a great deal."</p><p>Blaise smiled, relishing the idea of all the gold they could make and the fame they would garner, at least in the darker community.  Not that he truly needed gold, because his family was quite rich, but making his own made a statement to the world that he was an enchanter to be respected.</p><p>"Brilliant and unique ideas," Mila observed sincerely.<br/>"Which reminds me," she nearly whispered, leaning closer to Gellert.<br/>"I was saying earlier that you looked like someone...That someone being a very famous wizard of your same name.  Would you happen to be related?"</p><p>"One could say that," Gellert said carefully.<br/>"And if one didn't say that," Mila asked after a few long seconds of silent consideration.</p><p>"Then one could say...that you are a very smart girl.  Where did you see a picture of this wizard to know that I look like him?"</p><p>"In old news papers.  My Grandma saves all the important clippings.  He was not quite as young as you in the one I saw, but from what I recall of the photo, and my memory is most excellent, you could be his twin."</p><p>Blaise could see from Gellert's face that he was deciding what to say.  He turned to meet Blaise's eyes and arched a questioning brow, silently asking if Mila could be trusted.  Blaise shrugged and gave a slight nod.  He saw no reason why not, even though he trusted few people as a rule.</p><p>"I never liked newspapers.  They spread far more lies than truth when it came to my doings,"  Gellert said slowly.<br/>He liked Mila well enough and he enjoyed being among people around whom he did not have to pretend if possible.</p><p>"You're having me on,"  Mila breathed, and he shook his head.</p><p>"No.  The newspapers really did lie most of the time."</p><p>"You know that isn't what I meant," Mila accused, poking his arm with a finger.<br/>"I sense that we need more drinks...right away," she said, and downing the last swallow in her glass, hopped off the arm of Blaise's chair and headed for the bar.</p><p>"We're drinking a lot on this trip,"  Blaise observed, draining his glass in order to keep up with Mila.</p><p>If she was going for another round, they'd need to get rid of the first glasses, after all.  As she'd insisted on sitting in these armchairs near the fire, there was no table on which to rest the empty glasses.</p><p>"We'll just blame it on the company we keep,"  Gellert grinned.</p><p>After he downed the rest of his drink he and Blaise joined Mila at the bar to return their empty glasses.  As it happened, their next drinks were ready so they took them and returned to their fireside seats.  This time Mila perched herself on the arm of Gellert's chair.</p><p>"So you're using some really good cream on your skin, because you look our age," she told him.<br/>Gellert shook his head.</p><p>"No cream.  Just a very dark rare spell that gave me someone else's youth."</p><p>"That is a rare spell,"  Mila breathed.<br/>"Good on you, I say...But wait...weren't you supposed to be dead?"<br/>She held up a finger before Gellert could answer.<br/>"Wait...I need to drink for this one."<br/>She took two deep swallows of the warm brandy drink before lowering her glass and nodding for Gellert to continue.</p><p>"As it turns out, someone else took my place who had a condition that was killing him anyway.  We had no idea Voldemort would help him along, though."<br/>He frowned, glancing over at Blaise.<br/>"If Voldemort wasn't so obviously insane, I should be offended that he truly believed he could take me on."</p><p>Blaise nodded.<br/>"He's definitely a formerly walking ad for don't make Horcruxes boys and girls," he said dryly.</p><p>Mila's eyes flew wide and she nearly fell off the arm of Gellert's chair.<br/>"Wait, he did that," she hissed.</p><p>The three were keeping their voices to near whispers so as not to be overheard.  There was no one near the fire where they were sitting, but Blaise and Gellert were cautious by nature about such obviously important matters.  Mila was smart enough to be as well, it seemed, which Blaise appreciated.<br/>"He did," Blaise nodded.</p><p>"I mean something always seemed off about him, but...I never imagined that and I have a brilliant imagination," Mila proclaimed before downing the rest of her drink.<br/>"Drink up boys.  You're letting a girl beat you," she laughed.<br/>"And don't worry.  You don't have to tell me not to breathe a word of this to anyone...Although now that I know you're Grindelwald, I'm even more depressed that you're so very taken," she told Gellert with a wink.</p><p>Not to be outdone by a girl, Blaise and Gellert promptly tossed back the rest of their drinks.</p><p>"I like her," Gellert told Blaise.<br/>"I think she should be our new pet.  She's cute, entertaining, and can feed herself.  Plus as she knows how taken we are, she won't require cuddling...at least not from us.  So what do you think?"</p><p>Blaise shrugged.<br/>"I never considered myself to be a pet person, but then again, I never considered having a human pet either," he reasoned with a laugh.<br/>"So...sure.  Anything you like, Dear."</p><p>"Wait," Mila demanded.<br/>"Why would I want to be your pet?"&lt;</p><p>"Because it gets you a fifteen percent shop discount," Gellert announced.</p><p>"What does it involve," Mila asked, as if she were applying for a job.</p><p>"Just being entertaining whenever you're around us, I should think,"  Gellert told her with a grin.<br/>"Just be your fun charming self."</p><p>Mila raised her empty glass, then scowled at it.<br/>"Done...Now wait while I get more drinks so we can toast to that."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0072"><h2>72. Too Many Krums Can Make A Mess</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So what are you doing with your life after this vacation is over," Blaise asked Mila.<br/>They were all on drink number five by then and Blaise's vision was mildly blurry.  He could still see Gellert, though, and the blonde was all he cared to look at anyway.<br/>"My family has a business for importing and exporting magical items," Mila replied.<br/>"I'm going to work for them.  It involves travel, and if I stop to play a bit in each destination before returning home my father won't fire me, so it's going to be my dream job."</p><p>Blaise nodded.<br/>
"Sounds right for you."<br/>
"What about your shop," Mila asked.<br/>
"What's it going to be called...So I'll know it when I see it."<br/>
"Enchanted Odds," Blaise said, having had this name picked out for quite some time.  A few years in fact.<br/>
"I like it," Mila said, smiling cheerfully."I think we should go and eat something at the hotel, else we'll be quite hung over tomorrow," she added, switching topics as she was often wont to do.</p><p>As she spoke, she was glancing at the large wooden clock that hung over the bar.<br/>
"If we hurry, we may not have completely missed dinner."<br/>
As it happened dinner was a delightful venison stew with a slice of black bread on the side and there was plenty left.  The three enjoyed their meal, and afterward Mila tried to coax them into going out dancing.  When Blaise persuaded her that they were too tipsy to safely apparate, she decided to return to the inn's library.</p><p>"It's all about full circle," she proclaimed.<br/>
"We began in the library and that's where I plan to end the evening.  Are the two of you coming?"<br/>
"That is certainly my plan, but somehow the library doesn't seem suitable," Gellert drawled, giving her a wink.<br/>
"You want to shag on a pizza, but not in the library," Blaise asked giving Gellert an incredulous look that he ruined by laughing.</p><p>"This particular library, though wonderful, just feels too cramped for shagging and that pizza was huge...very spacious indeed,"  Gellert shamelessly defended his choices.<br/>
"Wait...what?  You shagged on a pizza," Mila demanded.<br/>
"Again, it was a huge pizza," Gellert insisted.<br/>
"The biggest pizza I've ever seen."<br/>
"You're ridiculous," Mila told him, laughing.</p><p>"Are you going to be around tomorrow," Gellert asked her as they all rose from the table.<br/>
"No, actually.  I just stopped in here for a day to check the library.  I'm spending a few weeks in Prague before I head home and begin learning the ropes of the family business. I'll see the two of you at breakfast in the morning if you make it down, though."<br/>
Blaise and Gellert wished Mila happy reading then headed upstairs to their room.</p><p>They were kissing as soon as Gellert pushed the door shut behind them.  Clinging together they drank one another in, their long, lingering, slow kisses building their desire to a fever pitch.<br/>
"I like what you told Mila about why you want to be with me," Gellert murmured, then proceeded to undress Blaise just enough to get at his erection.<br/>
Blaise groaned, knees nearly melting with pleasure as Gellert knelt in front of him and hungrily took Blaise's length into his mouth.  Resting his back against the ornately carved wood wall of their charming bedroom for support, Blaise closed his eyes as pleasure rushed through him.  His hands tangled in Gellert's silken blonde tresses, gently massaging his scalp and letting the curls fall through his fingers.  His hips bucked and thrust as Gellert's mouth did incredible things to his erection.  When he was about to spill into Gellert's mouth the blonde drew back, trailing licks and kisses down Blaise's shaft before teasingly flicking his tongue over the tip.</p><p>The sound Blaise made was nearly pained, and Gellert took him fully into his mouth once more.  With a shout of release, Blaise's hips thrust forward as his orgasm swept over him.<br/>
"God that was amazing," he managed as Gellert stood.<br/>
Slipping an arm around the blonde, mainly because he himself needed a bit of support, Blaise moved them to the bed.</p><p>Withdrawing his smoky quartz wand, Blaise flicked it at the logs in the fireplace and set them a blaze.<br/>
"That's romantic," he murmured, ice blue gaze on Gellert as the blonde undressed.<br/>
"I never thought of anything being romantic until you."<br/>
Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Now everything has a different meaning," he agreed.<br/>
Blaise's hands ran over Gellert's chest as he gently pushed the blonde back onto the bed.  Gellert sank into the soft mattress with a sigh of surrender, blue eyes full of eager anticipation as they hungrily regarded Blaise.  Blaise stretched out on the bed between Gellert's legs, full tan lips trailing down the smooth pink flesh of Gellert's towering erection.</p><p>"I bet Mila wishes she could see this," he murmured, mouth still on Gellert as he spoke.<br/>
Gellert gave a low laugh, hands reaching to stroke Blaise's shoulders and the wiry swimmer's muscles of his toned upper back.<br/>
"I just bet she does," he said breathily.<br/>
"Well you're all mine, so she can't," Blaise said, tongue trailing swirls down the length of Gellert's shaft.<br/>
"Excellent," Gellert gasped.</p><p>Blaise drew Gellert's entire length in and out of his mouth over and over, setting a slow rhythm to which Gellert matched his breaths as his eyes fluttered closed.<br/>
It felt so good, he couldn't look at anything as doing so removed too much focus from the marvelous sensations roaring through his lower body.<br/>
"Love you," he gasped, clutching at Blaise's shoulders as he arched up, spilling hard into the dark haired wizard's mouth.</p><p>The two spent a long tantalizing several hours in their romantic and cozy bedroom until finally falling asleep, tangled in warm blankets and one another's arms.  In the morning as they headed down for breakfast, one of the wizards that made up the hotel staff was showing a dark haired stocky man to his room.<br/>
"Just this way, Mr. Krum."<br/>
He spoke in German, so Gellert assumed that Blaise likely didn't notice. For his part, though, Gellert had to force himself not to halt his steps as the two passed them on the stairs. The Krum didn't even glance their way which pleased Gellert.</p><p>Blaise didn't speak until they were seated at the breakfast table.<br/>
"He said Crum," he whispered as he poured cups of coffee for he and Gellert before adding in insanely generous amounts of cream just the way they both liked it.<br/>
"Yes," Gellert whispered back.<br/>
As he spoke, he was pouring glasses of orange juice for them both from the frosty cold pitcher in the middle of the table.<br/>
"He was speaking in German, so I wasn't sure if you noticed."</p><p>Blaise arched elegant dark brows.<br/>
"I may not know much German yet, but I know the name Krum," he said.<br/>
Gellert grinned.  Somehow the handsome dark haired wizard even managed to whisper dryly.<br/>
"Is it odd, his being here at the same time we are," Blaise asked, and Gellert shrugged, giving his head a careless shake.</p><p>"I don't think so.  There are a lot of Krums scattered about.  As long as we're in this area, we're likely to run into more than one."<br/>
The blonde didn't bother to keep the distaste from his voice.  Noting Blaise's look of concern he sought to reassure him.<br/>
"He didn't  notice us and likely doesn't even know what I look like, so I am not concerned."</p><p>Blaise's face relaxed into a smile, and he nodded.<br/>
"Very well, then."<br/>
He reached for a tray of cream filled sweet rolls and placed one onto a small plate before extending the tray to Gellert.  Gellert was taking one for himself when Blaise spoke again.<br/>
"I was just wondering if any of the Krums could've had anything to do with your take down...You said it involved several ministries."</p><p>Mila spoke from behind them before Gellert could even process that much less form an answer.<br/>
"What are the two of you whispering about?"<br/>
"Do you really want to know," Blaise asked, turning to give the small ethereal witch a slow smirk.<br/>
"Hm," she said, expression considering as she moved around the table to sit directly across from them.<br/>
"That's a yes."</p><p>"Very well," Blaise said.<br/>
"I was telling him how beautiful I think my mouth looks on his creamy erection.  Then he was telling me how good I felt moving inside of him last night while I stroked him until he got off all over both of us."<br/>
Mila's eyes glazed over and she smiled.<br/>
"God that's hot."</p><p>"You should see it when he's on top.  Gods can he move. I've never exploded as hard as when he's inside of my tight hot bum!"<br/>
Mila groaned in open frustration, and Blaise flashed Gellert a triumphant look, then laughed.<br/>
"I told you she wanted to watch," he said.<br/>
"We can rent you some of our most choice pensieve memories," Gellert told Mila with a smirk.<br/>
"If Blaise is willing."<br/>
Blaise chuckled.<br/>
"Perhaps we can arrange something."<br/>
"Ooh, Pensieve porn," Mila tittered.<br/>
"That's good."</p><p>Though Gellert enjoyed the banter as much as Blaise, his mind was partially elsewhere.  Blaise's concerns about the Krums being part of his take down had struck a cord that he'd never considered before.<br/>
Several months back, Gellert had told Blaise of the family dislike between the Grindelwalds and the Krums.  It had all started over some business dealing or other that got tricky several generations before Gellert was even born.  It was a Krum that got Gellert unfairly expelled from Durmstrang or so he firmly believed.  He didn't think any Krums would be seeking him out now, largely due to the fact people stupidly believed Voldemort could've so easily struck him down.  If they'd had a part in his imprisonment, however, on top of all their other slights, they would need to be taken care of.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0073"><h2>73. The Bohemian Wizarding Life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mila departed after breakfast, leaving Blaise and Gellert to decide how to spend the rest of their day.</p><p>"Shall we venture out to see if any of the bars I used to frequent exist anymore," Gellert asked.</p><p>"Most definitely," Blaise agreed eagerly.</p><p>Gellert apparated them to the first of the bars on his mental list of old haunts that came to mind, and he was warmed to see it still existed.  It was small, old and made of stone.  Being rather nondescript, it wouldn't draw the attention of anyone who didn't know there was a particular point to going inside.</p><p>Though the hour was early there were already a few small groups of wizards scattered around the room.  They sat in high backed ornately carved wooden chairs that were spread around the room.  Some smoked pipes stuffed full of herbs that Gellert guessed would induce visions.  Others sipped from ornate silver steins.</p><p> As he nor Blaise were interested in breathing smoke into their lungs, he paused just inside the room and placed an air filtering charm around their heads.  It was perfected by wizards to block the smell of Muggle stench in the streets centuries before he was born, but Gellert clearly recalled it being used during both of the world wars that the Muggles started.  Their deadly gas reached, even wizarding settlements more than once.</p><p>"Thanks," Blaise said, smiling at him in that way that always served to warm Gellert from head to toe.<br/>
"I've read about air purification shielding,, but never had a reason to put it into practice, so it's nice to see how it looks.  The concept of a shield filter is interesting.  I think it's something we could adapt and tweak a bit for anything from alarms to deflections against specific magic."</p><p>Gellert nodded, expression considering as his mind already continued the thought process where Blaise's words left off.<br/>
"If we wove an adaptation of this filter into a cloak, it could deflect whatever spells we programmed it against, and that would sell for an impressive amount.  Any wizard wearing it could ignore the need for defenses for the most part and focus their magic on other matters."<br/>
"Yes!  And we can make them for ourselves first to test how they work," Blaise enthused.</p><p>The two often talked of things they could make for selling in their shop.  They likely wouldn't get to it for a few years, but to open their shop they needed items to sell.  All enchanted items, like anything else, had to start with an idea or concept of something that was needed or at least very much wanted.  Their goal was to craft items that other witches and wizards would want enough to pay a great deal for.  The fact that there would only be a few of each item in existence would also raise the value quite nicely.</p><p>Gellert appreciated the fact that Blaise wanted to be greater than the Peverell brothers, making his own items rather than seeking after relics crafted by ancient wizards.  Of course Blaise was interested in studying the skills and enchantments used to craft ancient items, but not in valuing them over what he could craft.</p><p>Like Gellert in his own youth, Blaise was interested in designing items for himself, because no one else was making what he wanted as well as he could.  Sabra had told Gellert more than once he and Blaise could craft something even better than the elder wand that would serve only them, and perhaps some day they would.  He knew he'd been more interested in finding legendary items than in making his own the first time he'd visited his teens, but considering the strength he and Blaise had when combining their power, the lure of ancient magics wasn't looking better than what they could do themselves.</p><p>"You order our drinks," Blaise said as they approached the bar.<br/>
"You know what's good here, after all."<br/>
Gellert nodded, smiling at his partner as he reveled in the feeling of pleasant familiarity that being in the bar again gave him.  Being here with Blaise of all people, made it all the better.  He ordered two glasses of Green Fairy Dark Forest absinthe.  Glasses in hand, the two headed over to the nearest group.  Gellert floated two of the ornate wooden chairs over with a flick of his wand and they settled down to listen to the conversation.  That's how it was done in these sorts of obscure bars.  One listened or contributed and either was fine.</p><p>"All I'm saying is it's interesting how many dark wizards died during Voldemort's first reign of terror and even after he vanished the first time," an old wizard with straggly gray hair was saying.<br/>
"They weren't young, mind you, but they weren't anywhere near old either, and they were dropping like flies.  I got a good friend who happens to be in the business of wizarding funerals, and he said there was no logical reason for so many wizards from prominent dark families to die so young.  Granted Voldemort could've killed some even if they were in his service or at least not objecting to his goals, but others died strangely after he was gone."</p><p>He broke off to nod at Blaise and Gellert as they seated themselves.<br/>
"You put me in mind of a very young Gellert Grindelwald, boy," he told Gellert with a chuckle.<br/>
"Lets just hope you have more sense."</p><p>"That was another right trouble maker, if not nearly as bad as Voldemort,"  he went on, directing the comment away from Blaise and Gellert and back to the other old men to whom he was originally speaking.<br/>
That one was completely fueled by his own vanity and driven by the high he got from "correcting" the world."<br/>
Well the world had needed correcting, and it still needed it now, else there wouldn't be so many filthy Muggles ruining the planet and of course Voldemort, Gellert thought, struggling to contain his anger.<br/>
He may have a temper, but he also had a brain.  Defending Gellert Grindelwald while wearing his face was not safe.  Perhaps no one here would put two and two together, but was it worth the risk?  No.</p><p>"At least Grindelwald wanted to make a better world," another old wizard defended mildly.<br/>
"Voldemort only wanted to kill stuff."<br/>
He blew a smoke ring to punctuate his words.  Gellert nearly inclined his head to the man in appreciation, but lifted his glass of Absinthe instead because one careless move could ruin everything.  Now he had more than he ever did before and that meant more to lose as well.  Gellert Grindelwald didn't intend on losing again, ever.</p><p>The first wizard with the scraggly hair made a scoffing sound.<br/>
"Grindelwald was unable to control himself.  Unable to stop himself from attempting to fix that which he thought was wrong.  He believed he knew how things should be and that he was right.  The problem was, he didn't comprehend the rampant self destructive stupidity by which he was so greatly outnumbered.  It doesn't matter how right he was, and I actually do believe he was right.  It matters that what he wanted was impossible.  Eventually a wizard or Muggle or both would ruin it and make things even worse.  There would be more dangerous Muggle technology if he'd won even than there is today.  Because Muggles would hate our rule that much and we'd never see their inventions coming.  They'd...what is it they call it, Nuke us all and themselves too thanks to Grindelwald."</p><p>Gellert didn't at all like the possibility of world ruination being laid so logically at his feet.  It didn't feel pleasant, especially if the old man happened to have any sort of point.<br/>
"Drink up.  I'm ready for another," Blaise said, extending his empty glass pointedly toward Gellert.<br/>
Gellert arched his brows.  Blaise wasn't one to toss back his drinks like that.  Then he understood.  Blaise was trying to get them out of this conversation without being obvious, and Gellert appreciated him for that quite enough to kiss him right there in front of everyone.  He tossed back his drink instead and grinned.</p><p>Rising, the two strolled back up to the bar.  As Gellert ordered their second round, Blaise slipped an arm around his waist, ignoring anyone who may be giving them odd looks for their open show of affection.  It may be permitted these days, but in old world establishments like this, it likely wouldn't sit right with most of the patrons.  With a smirk, Gellert leaned into Blaise, at last feeling the pleasant expansiveness brought on by the Absinthe.<br/>
"Thank you," he murmured, resting his head for a moment on Blaise's shoulder.</p><p>"You never have to thank me for having your back," Blaise murmured back.<br/>
Turning his head, he brushed his lips softly across Gellert's cheek, but ended the kiss on Gellert's lips.  Unable to resist, Gellert opened his mouth to deepen the kiss, sliding one arm around Blaise to draw him closer.  Damn but he had no self control when it came to Zabini, and he didn't care.  Though neither were into public displays as a rule, they seemed to forget this fact when it came to one another at times.  Gellert had to admit, that in this case, he took a small perverse pleasure in flaunting that which was no longer illegal.</p><p>When the wizard behind the bar produced their new glasses of Absinthe, the two strolled over to another group of chairs.  Gellert hoped this new conversation would be more stimulating.  Though what the scraggly haired wizard who happened to be in dire need of a styling charm had said about the great amount of dark wizards dying was interesting.  What did it mean?  Who could've killed them if not Voldemort and why?  He made a mental note to bring it up to Regulus and Kreacher for their opinion when next he saw them at one of Adler's parties.</p><p>"Of course there are Muggle plants," a red haired wizard was saying.<br/>
"A rose is a Muggle plant because it has no magic.    The Mandrakes that don't scream are the squibs of the plant world."<br/>
The group in which Blaise and Gellert now sat was mostly comprised of middle aged wizards with a few old ones peppered in.  Once again they were by far the youngest, but no one seemed to mind.  In these sorts of circles, if you knew about the place, you were old enough to appreciate it.</p><p>Gellert nodded in understanding to the red haired wizard's words.<br/>
"I understood herbology far better in school when I linked it to transfiguration in my mind," he shared.<br/>
All too often he didn't bother to share his perceptions with most wizards.  This was because either they didn't understand or they were offended by his ideas.  In establishments like this, though, he could toss out a few concepts as feelers for those minds who may have something interesting to share in return.</p><p>"How so," A short rotund wizard in dark blue robes asked.<br/>
"I sense transfiguration involved in the creation of magical plants.  Some occurred in nature and some, like the animals, acromantulas and such, were wizard made," Gellert explained.<br/>
"As such using transfiguration spells in plant magic always seemed natural."<br/>
"Like vines into chains to bind enemies," Blaise asked, interested.<br/>
Gellert smiled.<br/>
"Exactly like that."</p><p>I once knew a wizard that tried to cross breed a skeleton with a dead tree to create a guard for the outside of his manor," the red haired wizard said thoughtfully.<br/>
He chuckled.<br/>
"As it turned out, it ate him instead."<br/>
Gellert laughed before taking another sip from his glass of absinthe.<br/>
"Some experiments turn out better than others."<br/>
Though many of Gellert's own involving living creatures hadn't succeeded, he'd always made certain they never harmed him no matter what else happened.</p><p>He and Blaise made their second glasses of absinthe last far longer than their first.  It was better to remain pleasantly buzzed all day in a place like this than to get drunk too quickly and not be able to properly follow the conversations around one.  Gellert was pleased that the type of people the bar drew hadn't changed much, and the talk was mostly stimulating if not directly useful.<br/>
"When we get our shop going, we'll have to come back here with business cards to spread the word," Blaise commented as they headed up to the bar for their fourth drink.<br/>
They'd been at the bar for around five hours by then. Gellert was thinking that dinner would be sounding good by the time this last drink was over.</p><p>"Good idea," he said, nodding.<br/>
"That makes for easy advertisement to all the right sorts of people."</p><p>"I figure we'll still travel enough even when we set up shop," Blaise said, and Gellert nodded again.<br/>
"Of course."<br/>
Neither he nor Blaise were the sorts to stay in one place for too long without growing bored, after all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0074"><h2>74. You walk right, you talk right, and your hair's so wild</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sparkling lights of Berlin energized Blaise and he was revved up and ready for a night on the town...Very well if he was completely honest, it was the sparkling eyes of the blonde that strolled confidently along at his side that had him in such exulted spirits.  The two had spent nearly a month in Switzerland before heading to Germany and this was their second night in Berlin.  Switzerland was quietly stimulating, intellectual and cozy and the two had gotten pleasantly lazy there for a bit.  Germany was somehow more energizing and wild.</p><p>The air was autumn crisp, so both men wore black slacks, black silk button down dress shirts and black velvet dusters. Sabra would've just hated their matching outfits, but Blaise thought they made quite the dashing pair.  Blaise wore black leather dress shoes and Gellert sported his preferred heavy black leather boots that nearly reached his knees.  He cut a fine figure, and Blaise watched him more than the street ahead as they walked.</p><p>The energy of the old German city on a Saturday night made Blaise feel rather like an unleashed tiger and he was ready to prey on whatever the town had to offer.  Food, drink, dancing, magical lore and very much later in the night Gellert Grindelwald.  They paused to wait for a Muggle traffic light to change, and Blaise watched as Gellert's long golden locks were blown back by the night breeze.  He was so beautiful it made Blaise's breath catch.  They'd chosen to walk in order to take in the city, a thing that couldn't be done by apparating from place to place.  Gellert wanted to see how much the place had changed, and Blaise just wanted to see it, because he hadn't before.</p><p>"Well," Blaise asked, arching thin dark brows curiously.<br/>
"What do you think so far?"<br/>
"It's such a mad mix of familiar and strange," Gellert said, turning to Blaise and tossing back his hair as he laughed.<br/>
"I'm still taking it all in, you know?"<br/>
The way the moonlight caught the blue in Gellert's eyes nearly made Blaise's hart stop, and for a moment he couldn't answer.  It was as if Gellert's gaze froze the moment and left Blaise pleasantly paralyzed.  Gellert's eyes were living magic, the blonde was living fire, and Blaise was no longer alarmed anymore by how constantly captivated he was.</p><p>Gellert let out a breath, shivering with anticipation at the hungry yet oddly loving look in Blaise's eyes as he stared at him.  Gods life was good!  And fun!  Laughing again, he flung an arm around Blaise's waste and headed across the street.  The stupid Muggle light had finally changed.</p><p>They walked another block, then turned down a side street and into a suddenly dark alley.<br/>
"This is the same," Gellert said."Ah there it is."<br/>
Nearly at the end of the alley was a relatively small round building.  It was designed in the style of an old round barn.  When Blaise pushed the door open, the savory smell of German food struck them, causing both to realize that they really were quite hungry.</p><p>They were seated at once by a wizard wearing flamboyant purple robes and a matching hat.  Fittingly the tables were round to match the building.  Blaise and Gellert opted for a table for two as it allowed them to sit close.  Such just felt cozy and intimate.  It also afforded them the ease of private conversations easily held at a low murmur that others at nearby tables couldn't hear.</p><p>"You should order for both of us," Blaise told Gellert.<br/>
"You'll know what's best here, after all."<br/>
Gellert opened his mouth to say so long as the food hadn't changed much in the past fifty years, but closed it on the words before they could escape.  Saying such things in front of strangers wouldn't be wise with him looking as young as he did.  That sort of talk may cause an intelligent person to wonder, after all.  He rattled off a relatively long list of his favorite dishes to the waiting purple clad wizard, and to his surprise, they were all still available.  He added a bottle of Bärenjäger to the order to top it off.</p><p>"I decided to be celebratory and expansive, and ordered us a bit of a miniature feast," he told Blaise with a chuckle as their waiter walked away.<br/>
"Sounds good," Blaise said.<br/>
"We deserve it all, especially you."<br/>
Gellert smiled, lightly running fingertips over Blaise's forearm.<br/>
"To drink, I ordered a bottle of Bärenjäger.  It's sort of a honey based Vodka liqueur.  I drank it with my aunt over the holidays in my teens," he said with a fond grin.</p><p>"That sounds delicious," Blaise said with a nod of approval.  And it was.  The waiter returned shortly with the bottle on a silver tray along with two small crystal goblets.  The two sipped the thick honey drink as they waited for their food to arrive.  It was only one of the reasons Gellert felt so pleasantly warm.  Blaise's nearness and occasional honey flavored fleeting kisses definitely set a fire in his belly to burning, and that hunger certainly wouldn't be satisfied by even the most delicious of foods.</p><p>The food was very good, though, and the two rather stuffed themselves.  It was only fitting for their on going celebratory vacation, though.  The access of good food, good drink, and lively conversation with Blaise had Gellert feeling on top of the world when they left the restaurant.<br/>
"I believe a round building is conducive to working particular types of magic more successfully," Gellert commented as they passed through the restaurant's swinging door.<br/>
"Gravity and magic play interesting games together and the construction of a round room is all about gravity."</p><p>Blaise paused, drawing Gellert close right there on the street.<br/>
"Gods I love the way you talk.  I can't decide if it's hotter to listen to that husky voice and sexy German accent or to watch those confident slow strides of yours when you walk," he nearly growled before claiming Gellert's mouth in a crushing liqueur flavored kiss that made the blonde moan and sink against him.<br/>
"You feel incredible," Gellert said kissing the dark haired wizard thoroughly as Blaise's hands tangled in his hair.<br/>
Not generally one for street displays, the drink and high spirits had Gellert wanting to express himself and not caring what anyone else thought.<br/>
"Lets go dance," Blaise said, then kissed Gellert a final time before releasing him reluctantly.</p><p>In Switzerland they'd met some entertaining younger wizards at their favorite bar who told them of a nightclub for wizards in Berlin.  Gellert had never been to a nightclub as they only came into existence decades after his imprisonment.  For his part, Blaise had gone to one in London for about five minutes.  Malfoy and his lot wanted to check it out so Millicent made him come along.  He'd left because it was too loud and he wasn't one for that sort of dancing.  After experiencing the joys of grinding up on Gellert in the club in Egypt, though, he was open to giving the Berlin club a try.  Perhaps nightclubs were just better when you were a couple rather than single.</p><p>The club was only a few blocks from the round room restaurant, so they enjoyed another walk rather than apparating.  Unlike the restaurant the club wasn't hidden in a dark alley.  It was surrounded by a cloud of magic that looked quite bright to wizards, but was invisible to Muggles while serving to mask the building from their notice as well.  The club had stained glass Gothic windows and was quite a tall building.  Blaise rather liked the look of it.  Somehow it fit the mood of the evening.  Inside the club was brightly lit.  The bar was made entirely of sparkling crystal and the bar stools were covered in dark red velvet.  Near the door a young overly thin witch in a tight leather corset and narrow skirt was doing a spinny sort of dance in the center of a huge cauldron.  She looked too drunk to be working as entertainment, but the sight was still entertaining nonetheless.</p><p>The music was loud, but it was nineteen eighties rock rather than the annoying techno music that had assaulted Blaise's ears in the club in London.<br/>
"Dance with me," he said, sweeping Gellert into his arms.  He spun them into the center of the marble floor, covering Gellert's mouth with his own in a hungry kiss.  The way Gellert's hair flowed out behind him had Blaise's blood boiling and he couldn't get enough of the blonde's mouth.  Gellert's hips ground against Blaise's to the driving beat of the rock music, and his slender arms wound around the dark haired wizard's neck, drawing their bodies even closer together.</p><p>Other couples swirled around them, some dressed in modern clothes as they were, and some in traditional robes.  Many held drinks in their hands, and the sight eventually drove Blaise and Gellert to the bar.<br/>
"What's your best drink," Gellert called to the troll looking wizard behind the bar.<br/>
"It's all good," the big man roared good naturedly back, raising his voice to be heard over the music.<br/>
"Do you have anything to induce euphoria with an energy boost," Blaise asked and the man's heavy face broke into a grin.<br/>
"Yes.  I got just the thing.  It's called moonbeam.  It's got a bit of a kick with a heavy note of strawberry."</p><p>Blaise smiled eagerly.<br/>
"Excellent.  We'll have two glasses to start and keep them coming."<br/>
He pushed enough gold across the counter at the man to cover all the drinks they wanted for the rest of the night as well as giving him a little extra for fast service.  Their first round came fast, and the taste was quite nice.  The effects were invigorating and Blaise felt his good mood even more enhanced.</p><p>"Lets dance again," Gellert called over the music.<br/>
Leaving their empty glasses on the crystal bar, the two clasped hands and returned to the dancing throng.<br/>
"I love you," Gellert murmured, drawing Blaise close and clinging tightly as they swayed to the music.<br/>
"You make my life perfect," Blaise replied, gazing intently into Gellert's eyes.<br/>
"Life is never perfect, but together we'll still make it what we want it to be," Gellert told him.<br/>
"Taking our chances side by side," Blaise said with a grin, then kissed him.</p><p>Blaise knew it was true.  Life was never easy, but the two of them together could make things a great deal easier.  Opening and maintaining a successful shop would be a challenge but a fun one.  Investigating the Picquery situation could be dangerous, but they'd handle it together.  It was a thing best attended to soon.  Perhaps their next stop should be America.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0075"><h2>75. Your dreams were not so wise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gellert Grindelwald had never truly experienced anxiety before.  Oh he understood the meaning of the word, and even believed he'd experienced it until reentering New York City for the first time in over half a century.  It was then that anxiety, like a wicked demon, engulfed him.</p><p>They'd spent a few pleasurable weeks in Germany, but when Blaise suggested their next stop be America, so they could look into the Picquery situation, Gellert knew he was right.  Best attack one's past enemies before they somehow managed to attack him again.  Of course they should have no way of knowing that he was even still alive, but considering the fact Gellert still had no idea how they'd known how to take him down in the past, that hardly mattered.  In this case, the unknown was too dangerous to be allowed to remain a mystery.</p><p>America had grown in astounding leaps and bounds over the past six decades.  Everything about the country had gotten bigger.  They even served more food than any other country at many of their restaurants.  It was no wonder so many of them had problems with their weight.  And the people!  No matter where they went, there were so very many people everywhere!</p><p>Though the clutter that Gellert felt America had become was unpleasant, it wasn't the reason for his nearly paralyzing anxiety.  Being quite self aware, he knew precisely what his problem was.  Being here where so much had happened that contributed to his downfall got to him more than he expected.  Though his mind knew that he had returned to do the necessary  research to settle that old score, his emotions were certain that he may be walking into a trap.  This put at risk all he had.  His intense love and friendship with Blaise, the family connection he had with the Zabini's, and his youth and freedom.</p><p>He knew if he expressed as much to Blaise, the dark haired wizard would promise to protect him with all he had.  The Italian Cabal, his family's advanced skill with poison's, even Adler's connections if it came to it.  Normally all of those assurances would've given Gellert comfort.  In this case, however, what if THEY (whoever they were) took Blaise as well?  What if he put the only person he loved more than himself at risk?</p><p>The unknown had taken him down before and it was the unknown that fed his anxiety now.  It was difficult to get his bearings among the excessive over crowding of people, buildings, Muggle cars, trains, trucks, buses and his own brain freezing anxiety.<br/>
"Is something the matter," Blaise asked, placing a concerned hand on his arm as they paused at a street corner.</p><p>A disheveled homeless muggle woman with a tired face and a shopping cart full of miscellaneous clutter passed them and Gellert found himself cringing back slightly.<br/>
"There is too much garbage in this city.  The growth of New York has not improved it over the decades."</p><p>Blaise nodded, smirking in understanding.<br/>
"Be they Muggles or lower class wizards like the Weasleys, they all reek of what I call poorfume."<br/>
Gellert burst into sudden laughter, and this at last eased the unrelenting grip anxiety had on his mind.<br/>
"So," Blaise asked, leaning slightly closer and resting a light hand on Gellert's back.<br/>
"Is everything alright?"<br/>
He spoke in a near whisper.</p><p> At that, Gellert felt himself relaxing even more.  He'd been two seconds away from telling Blaise that they had to go home and regroup, but perhaps that wouldn't be necessary.  If he could keep the anxiety at bay, they could run the general reconnaissance they'd come here to do.  The fact that Blaise had spoken so quietly, indicated that he understood the need for caution here in particular.  He always understood Gellert like no one else, but apparently he could calm his anxiety as well.</p><p>"Everything is alright now," he replied, giving Blaise a smile.<br/>
"You have even more skills than either of us suspected," he said, hearing his own voice coming out a little shakily.<br/>
He sighed, feeling each anxiety tightened muscle in his body unwinding.<br/>
"I lost it there for a moment,"  he explained, leaning closer to murmur so that his voice didn't carry just in case anyone on the crowded street happened to be listening.</p><p>Was this paranoia?  Yes it was!  He had too much to lose now not to be overly careful, though.  And though Blaise had calmed him, that anxiety was poised and waiting to return at the slightest provocation.<br/>
"It is more difficult to return here than I had guessed."</p><p>Sudden understanding showed on Blaise's face and he reached for Gellert's hand.  Lacing their fingers together he held on firmly, and Gellert felt his heart expanding with how good that felt, emotionally as well as physically.  Support.  It was the feeling of having the support he'd never needed before because he was enough for him.  This, though, it was nice and he squeezed back and hung on.<br/>
"We've got this, sweetheart," Blaise assured.<br/>
Somehow the endearment, coming from Blaise of all people, made him melt inside. Damned emotions.  They were out in droves today almost as much as all the damned Muggles!</p><p>"I know we do," he said, speaking to himself as much as to his partner in all things.<br/>
"If you have any bad feelings, we'll leave and go anywhere you want.  Remember that," Blaise said, and the intense reassurance in his tone made Gellert relax even more.<br/>
Sighing he nodded.<br/>
"Yes."</p><p>While in Germany, they'd asked Bramble to have Wolfgang look into where Picquery was now.  They had an address for her in Atlanta and one in New York.  According to the information Wolfgang was able to root out, she spent autumn in her New York home.  Blaise and Gellert planned to scope out the place under disillusionment.</p><p>The plan was just to get a feel for this new New York tonight and deal with Picquery the next night.  Now Gellert wasn't sure that his anxiety would allow him to wait.  Perhaps it was best to just get it over with.<br/>
"Are you too hungry to wait on dinner," he asked Blaise.<br/>
The dark haired wizard shook his head, giving Gellert an inquisitive look.</p><p>"It's just that now that we're here, I'd like to get this over with as quickly as possible," he admitted.<br/>
"Then let's do that," Blaise said without question.<br/>
Gellert grinned.<br/>
"Gods I love you."<br/>
They entered the nearest restaurant, a crowded hole that served Mexican fast food.  The cultural melting pot that was America had developed even more (culture) over the decades, and lost a lot as well, Gellert thought, wrinkling his nose in distaste as they looked around for the men's room.</p><p>Once inside, they slipped into a stall, using the privacy it afforded to apparate back into their hotel room.  As always, Bramble had their room booked under the Zabini name the day before they arrived.  They were staying in Manhattan's hotel for wizards. It was called Merlin's Cave and quaintly each room looked to be carved from rough stone just like a cave.  Grindelwald had to admit the hotel was engaging.  Now if the rest of the city could just catch up.</p><p>Blaise opened one of their trunks and rummaged around until he came up with a small cloth shoe bag.  He and Gellert had enchanted the shoes it held before leaving Germany.  They were charming gold colored satin dancing slippers.  The first enchantment laid upon them was harmless and even useful.  It ensured the shoe would adjust to perfectly fit whatever size foot put it on.  The next enchantment compelled the wearer to dance until their heart stopped.  The final charm made all the other enchantments on the shoes dissipate as if they'd never existed once the dancer stopped dancing.</p><p>Along with the shoes, the bag also held a small bottle of veritaserum.  Bag in hand, Blaise closed the trunk and straightened, turning to Gellert.<br/>
"Ready?"<br/>
Gellert took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and nodded.<br/>
"Yes.  Let's get this done."<br/>
He grinned at Blaise who smiled back.<br/>
"Want to take a piss before we leave?  It wouldn't do to need to piss in the midst of dealing with Picquery."<br/>
Gellert laughed.<br/>
"You think of everything!  And that's so true."</p><p>They relieved themselves, then cloaked themselves in disillusionment before apparating hand in hand to the address they had for Picquery's town house.  Gellert knew the area but like everything else, it had changed a great deal.  While some of the older buildings remained there were far more new ones which only created clutter and killed the once brash yet glorious beauty of the city.  Picquery's door only sported the most basic of hex locks.  Apparently she felt overly safe, Gellert thought angrily.  He looked forward to that changing very soon.  On the bright side for her, she wouldn't have to live too long with her new found feeling of unsafety.</p><p>Working together, they easily disengaged the hex locks on the door without setting off any trips or alarms and replaced them so as to draw no notice.  The woman had made a mistake resting on her laurels in her old age, Gellert thought grimly.  No matter how much time passed, one should never do that without a literal wall of fire to protect them if they were wise.  Apparently Seraphina Picquery wasn't as wise as she and many others believed her to be.</p><p>With silencing charms on their feet, the two prowled the townhouse hand in hand only to find it entirely empty, at least for the moment.<br/>
"Perhaps she's gone out for the evening," Blaise said, speaking in a hushed tone so it wouldn't carry if someone approached the door from the outside.<br/>
"Or she isn't staying here at present," Gellert added the next possibility.<br/>
"We'll have to wait out the rest of the evening to find out.  We may as well search the place while we wait."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0076"><h2>76. So Falls The Evil Queen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Before searching Picquery's town house, Blaise and Gellert placed an alarm ward that would alert them if someone apparated in or began opening Picquery's hex locks on the door.  One could search more thoroughly when not concerned about the potential of a surprise discovery.  Picquery would be the one surprised when she walked in and they dropped their disillusionment to reveal themselves.</p><p>Her home was clean, neat and relatively simple while still tasteful if not specifically their tastes.<br/>
"Do you think she'll recognize you," Blaise asked, a slight amused smirk curving his lips as  he closed Picquery's wardrobe.  He'd just finished checking the bottom to make sure nothing special was hidden away behind her shoes.<br/>
"I would be very surprised if she did," Gellert replied as he turned away from the stack of books on Picquery's bedside table.<br/>
"She certainly won't expect me to be alive much less far younger than I was when she knew me."</p><p>It took them less than an hour to search the entire place.  There was nothing on Gellert's capture to be found which just meant Picquery had the information inside of her.<br/>
"What if, by some insane twist, she has nothing to do with it, and we were wrong," Blaise asked as the two settled down to wait on the sofa in the sitting room.<br/>
Gellert arched blonde brows and shrugged.<br/>
"I'd actually be surprised, but if that's the case we'll just abliviate her and return, as they say, to square one."<br/>
He made a face of frustration.<br/>
"I hate square one the second and third time around especially."<br/>
"I call it return to square one," Blaise said with a grin.<br/>
"And it's always a bitch."</p><p>The longer they sat on the sofa waiting, tension mixed with boredom and they were both on edge.<br/>
"We can't even bloody shag," Blaise complained with a sigh.<br/>
"If she walked in, the mood would be ruined."<br/>
"Or she'd learn a few things," Gellert replied, leaning toward Blaise to brush his lips across the other man's ear.<br/>
Blaise chuckled even as he shivered with pleasure.  If he didn't put his mind back on the current situation, he'd become very physically distracted and that probably wasn't wise.</p><p>"Do you think, now that we're inside, we should perhaps add a bit of back up?  Just in case anything unexpected happens? I thought of it earlier, but I didn't want to draw too much attention with a large crowd of us on the streets of New York."</p><p>Gellert felt his entire body relax.  Though searching the place, taking action, had calmed him, he did fear the entirely unexpected.  It was what had taken him down, after all.  Though he knew it probably wasn't needed, back up would feel good.<br/>
"Who were you thinking," he asked.<br/>
"I thought I could call Bramble and have him come with Kereston.  She was the one to figure out that Picquery was behind all this, so perhaps she'd think of some questions for her that we may not for all we know."</p><p>Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Brilliant."<br/>
Blaise dropped his disillusionment and called Bramble.  The elf apparated in front of him with a frown.<br/>
"It's not time for laundry pick up is it, and..."<br/>
The elf stopped, round blue eyes widening as he took in the fact they weren't in the hotel room he'd booked for them at Merlin's Cave.<br/>
"Where are we?"</p><p>Blaise explained the situation in a few short sentences and asked Bramble to return with Kereston.<br/>
The elf nodded, for once making no subtle yet disapproving complaints or objections about being involved.  In less than three minutes he was back with Kereston.<br/>
"We're doing this now," The small blonde demanded.<br/>
"No notice or anything?  I wasn't aware I was to be involved in this."</p><p>"The moment felt right," Gellert told her with a careless grin.<br/>
"And we didn't want to do it without you.  We did listen to your advice, so you should be pleased."<br/>
"As punch," Kereston said dryly.<br/>
"I was sleeping and my parents are annoyed.  We're five hours ahead of New York time, you know."<br/>
"Well you're awake now and after this is over we'll take you somewhere nice if you behave," Gellert drawled.<br/>
"You.are.a.prat," Kereston said, perching on the edge of an armchair across the room.<br/>
"When she comes in, dodge into the bedroom until Gellert and I drop our disillusionment," Blaise told Kereston and Bramble.<br/>
When they both nodded, he replaced his own disillusionment and settled back to wait.</p><p>"I wish I could've learned to work that spell," Kereston lamented with an envious sigh.<br/>
"Don't be so hard on yourself," Gellert suggested generously.<br/>
"Everyone can't be as naturally skilled as me and Blaise," he concluded, a smirk in his voice.<br/>
"Prat," Kereston replied.</p><p>Gellert chuckled softly.<br/>
"Have you done anything worthy while we've been away," he asked.<br/>
"Your boring job at the ministry doesn't count unless you were actually cleaning up something interesting."<br/>
"Not really," Kereston said with a shrug.<br/>
"I've been hanging out a lot with Kreacher though.  So he has something to do while Regulus is asleep during the day.  He's really neat.  It's so dreadful what he and Regulus went through at Voldemort's hands.  Such a tragedy really, but...somehow it doesn't all add up.  It's something I can't exactly place my finger on, though."<br/>
Gellert nodded in understanding.</p><p>"Shouldn't we be quiet," Bramble asked.<br/>
"It wouldn't do if someone happened to hear us...enjoying ourselves in here.<br/>
Everyone fell silent, knowing the elf was correct even if the result would be more boredom while they waited.</p><p>With a sigh,Gellert slumped back into the sofa, crystal wand from Mag resting across his thigh. Blaise slipped an arm around his shoulders, idly running elegant fingers through Gellert's hair.  Sighing in contentment, Gellert snuggled his head against Blaise's shoulder.  That's how Seraphina Picquery would've found them if she could've seen through their disillusionment when she came home half an hour later.  Their alarm ward caused a red light to flash through the entire house as the hex locks on the door were opened from the outside.  Gellert straightened as Blaise removed his arm from around the blonde.  He gestured and Kereston and Bramble beat a hasty retreat.  Blaise and Gellert were ready with wands in hand when the door swung open to admit a slightly chubby older woman.  Her face wasn't as lined as Gellert had expected and her hair still had some blonde mixed in with the gray.  He didn't speak until she'd closed and relocked the door behind her.</p><p>"My, but someone has put on a little weight," he drawled.<br/>
He took more pleasure than he expected in the shocked widening of her eyes that quickly turned to fear when he dropped the disillusionment to reveal himself.<br/>
"Who are you," she demanded.<br/>
"What do you want?  What are you doing in my house?"<br/>
"I was searching it before you came in as a matter of fact," Gellert smirked.<br/>
"Don't scream or I'll kill you," he added calmly.<br/>
"That would be a pity as we have so much to catch up on, Seraphina Picquery."</p><p>Blaise chose to drop his disillusionment then and Picquery's eyes widened.<br/>
"How many are you," she demanded.<br/>
"Wonder," Blaise suggested.<br/>
"Who are you," she asked tightly.<br/>
"Don't you know me?  Look very hard.  Think very hard.  I'll even give you a clue, because I can be nice until people attack me!"<br/>
As Gellert spoke he worked a compression charm, effectively slamming Picquery back into the wall and pinning her there.<br/>
"Come out," he called to Kereston and Bramble.<br/>
When they did he turned to Kereston.<br/>
"Would you please search her? I want her relieved of her wand.  Don't worry, she won't be able to attack you.  She can't move."</p><p>Kereston looked a little nervous, but did as Gellert asked, and produced a dark wooden wand from Picquery's leather shoulder bag.<br/>
"Still don't know who I am," Gellert asked.<br/>
Picquery blinked.<br/>
"You can't be..."<br/>
"Ah but I probably am," Gellert said almost gleefully.<br/>
At last he was beginning to enjoy himself. It was about time.</p><p>"Gellert Grindelwald can't have a grandson!"<br/>
"I suppose he could, but he doesn't," Gellert said.<br/>
"Try again."<br/>
"You're a disciple of Grindelwald," Picquery guessed and Gellert sighed.<br/>
"I grow bored," he complained.<br/>
"I told you she wouldn't recognize me," he said, glancing over at Blaise.<br/>
"I did have a similar idea for him to pretend to be his own son if the need arose, though," Kereston told Picquery.<br/>
"So I think you should get points for the attempt."</p><p>Kereston fell abruptly silent then, suddenly uncomfortable exchanging words with a woman that she would probably watch die before the night was over.<br/>
"Are you saying he's Gellert Grindelwald," Picquery demanded disbelievingly of the small blonde.<br/>
Though Kereston didn't answer, Gellert chuckled.<br/>
"Believe it, old lady."</p><p>He slowly approached her and Kereston moved back out of the way, the former president's wand still in her hand.<br/>
"Actually I don't care if you believe it or you don't.  We're going to play a little game right now, regardless of what you believe.  The game involves you answering some questions concerning the nature of my capture."</p><p>Blaise retrieved the shoe bag from the sofa and removed the bottle of Veritaserum.<br/>
"You can't be Grindelwald.  He's dead.  What are you playing at?  What do you want," Picquery demanded.<br/>
"I can help you more easily if you are just straight with me."</p><p>Gellert thrilled in satisfaction at the desperate look in her eyes as she gazed around at the others in growing panic.<br/>
"Look.  If you think you're following Grindelwald, he's playing you.  I knew Gellert Grindelwald, and he's dead."</p><p>"Trust me, he isn't," Kereston muttered in spite of herself, rolling her eyes at Gellert who gave her an amused smirk.<br/>
"Listen to her," he told Picquery.<br/>
"She is a wise girl.  She figured out that you were the evil queen who took me down."</p><p>"The what?"<br/>
"I burst your bubble of girl power or something...Isn't that what you said, Kereston," Gellert asked, glancing the little blonde's way before returning his gaze coldly to Picquery.<br/>
Kereston nodded.<br/>
"Yeah...something like that."<br/>
"You never got over the fact that I slipped in and took the place of Graves right under your nose.  It hurt your career and more than that your pride.  You looked incompetent because you were.  Because I am better than you.  Better than all the heads of every poorly managed magical organization," Gellert said scathingly.</p><p>"You had to join forces to take me down and even then it wasn't a simple matter.  So how did you do it?"<br/>
Picquery pressed her lips firmly together, giving him a glare.<br/>
"How," Gellert pressed.<br/>
"I won't share international secrets with you.  You're obviously insane.  Believing yourself to be Gellert Grindelwald, but this isn't a game and I won't..."</p><p>Gellert yanked her head back with a flick of his wand as Blaise approached with the now open bottle of Veritaserum.<br/>
"Just pore it down her throat, and I'll make sure she swallows and can't spit it out," Gellert told Blaise.<br/>
The words brought to mind more pleasant images and he smirked.<br/>
As their minds were always on similar tracks, Blaise smirked back before giving a short nod.  He flicked his wand at the bottle and hovered it above Picquery's mouth before slowly upending it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0077"><h2>77. "You, my Queen, are fair so true. But Snow White is a thousand times fairer than you."</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As a healer, Gellert knew well how to manipulate Picquery's throat muscles so that she'd swallow and not choke on the potion.  They used an entire bottle, which was admittedly excessive, but both Gellert and Blaise wanted to ensure that any tricks the woman may have learned to combat the effects of the truth potion would be overpowered.<br/>
"That's right," he crooned.<br/>
"Take your medicine like a good girl."</p><p>He smiled, openly savoring the sarcasm in the fact she had no choice.  He'd had no choice for fifty long humiliating years.  Not wanting her to talk until he was ready, Gellert sealed her mouth shut with a decisive flick of his wand, leaving her to breathe through her nose.</p><p>He felt Blaise coming up beside him, and slipped his arm around the dark haired wizard's waist without glancing away from Picquery.  He was suddenly all the more glad that his partner in all things and his friends were here with him for this moment.   He began to calmly explain to Picquery how it was that he was alive and young, carefully omitting any names of the people involved.  He wanted her to know this was really him taking her down, and not some infatuated impostor with a him complex.  He needed her to know that she hadn't beaten him, and that he wasn't dead.  It was more satisfying with her knowing it was Gellert Grindelwald making her pay for what she'd done to him.</p><p>He savored the growing shock and horror on her face at the conclusion of his explanation.<br/>
"This young lady is a friend of mine, and the mastermind behind figuring out that you were the one to take me down," Gellert said, indicating Kereston with a regal nod of his head.<br/>
He felt the need to share the glory of this moment with his friends.<br/>
"The esteemed elf helped to free me, and in many ways he's my right hand,"  he said, nodding at Bramble who only looked mildly surprised by Gellert's description.<br/>
"And this beautiful man at my side is my everything.  I found him in spite of you putting me away."</p><p>He found himself biting out the final words as he glared at her.<br/>
"And now," Gellert said, rocking slightly on the balls of his feat to lean just a little toward Picquery where she was still pressed up against the wall by his compression spell.<br/>
"It's your turn to tell us a story.  How did you capture me and who helped you to do so?"<br/>
Flicking his wand at her face, Gellert loosened the seal on her mouth, freeing her to speak.  As soon as her mouth was able to move, the words he'd waited far too long to hear finally spilled out.</p><p>"I worked with the backing of MACUSA as well as the French, British, Swedish and Australian Ministries."<br/>
Gellert felt his brows rising slightly.  Spain hadn't gotten involved!  Interesting.<br/>
"We knew a few facts that set us onto the path to defeating you.  The first was your strength and the second was your weakness," Picquery went on.<br/>
"The first fact was your magical strength.  We knew we'd never be able to defeat you using magic.  You were too strong and too resourceful and cunning.  You had too many wizards on your side with their own magic.  Which leads me to the second fact, this being the fact of your weakness.  Your lack of knowledge concerning most things Muggle due to your irrational and utterly uneducated fear and hatred of them."</p><p>Blaise enjoyed the aptness in which Picquery described Gellert's strengths as they were not only true, but very Slytherin like traits.  Picquery using the word fear to describe Gellert's feelings toward Muggles caused Grindelwald to glare.  It was so obviously untrue.<br/>
"If I'd feared anything, I never would've gotten as far as I did," he snapped.<br/>
Unable to stop long enough to respond even had she wished to do so, Seraphina Picquery continued with her explanation.</p><p>"As even you are probably aware, Muggle technology, run on electricity, is often ruined when exposed to too much magic.  If done properly, it can work the other way around, though.  Some Aurors from Sweden discovered a form of radio wave that interrupts and disrupts magic.  When we discovered that you and your people would be infiltrating that government facility, we filled it with those radio waves to disrupt your magic so that you could not attack.  We also filled the building with chloroform to knock you all out.  Your capture was relatively simple after that."</p><p>"Wait," Gellert interrupted.<br/>
He'd puzzled too long over how he was defeated not to fully understand everything.<br/>
"What is chloroform?"<br/>
"They use it in muggle surgery," Kereston said.<br/>
"Yes," Picquery agreed.<br/>
"It forcefully induces a state of unconsciousness.  We all wore masks so that we would not fall unconscious ourselves when entering the building to drag you and those supporters who had accompanied you out.</p><p>You were incarcerated alone in your own prison so that you had no opportunity to connect with your former followers in any way and they were held elsewhere. A few were pardoned over time when they provided us with information on the whereabouts of those followers who may attempt to set you free.  You made sure the security on Nurmengard was strong enough that no one could break in, so we felt keeping you there was apt poetic justice.  We did not wish for wizards of your ilk to learn how to use Muggle knowledge to interfere with magic, so we bribed Albus Dumbledore to claim the credit for your downfall via a duel.  Then no one had to know by what Muggle means you were truly defeated."</p><p>How uncomfortable it was for nineteen forty five to feel so close, Gellert thought.  Her words brought it all back.  The memory of striding down a hall, preparing to plant magical items in a government building in France, while removing some informational files.  Then suddenly a strangely soft blow to the head that in truth did not feel tangible, and then nothing.  Then waking in Nurmengard to the horror and shock of what had happened.  He felt his arm tightening around Blaise as if of its own will.</p><p>"I thought it was something like that.  The chloroform, that is," Kereston said.<br/>
She sounded pleased with herself, and Gellert couldn't blame her.  That was brilliant reasoning on her part, and he hoped she would become Minister some day, for she'd be a good one unlike most that had come before her.  He was glad the little blonde had spoken, for her voice served to drag him from his dark thoughts of the past and back into a present he liked far better.</p><p>"My belongings," he asked Picquery.<br/>
"What happened to everything I owned?  Who has it now?"<br/>
"Everything was returned to your aunt after we searched through it all.  We kept nothing," she replied, and he felt himself relaxing.<br/>
Though he had no use for any of his old personal items, he didn't want them in enemy hands.<br/>
"I think we're done here unless there is anything else you feel I would want to know that you can tell me," Gellert asked, knowing that the potion would force her to answer truthfully if there was.<br/>
"No.  I told you everything I know and you deserved it.  I'm only sorry you're free to resume your reign of terror again."</p><p>Gellert didn't bother to tell her that freeing ungrateful wizards from Muggle suppression was no longer on his to do list due to having better things with which to please himself.<br/>
"We brought you a gift," he told Seraphina Picquery.<br/>
With a flick of his wand he levitated her a good ten centimeters from the ground and held her there.  Blaise drew the slippers from the shoe bag and floated them over to her and onto her feet with a flick of his own wand.<br/>
"In the oldest German fairytale, the evil queen dies from dancing herself to death at the wedding of Prince Charming and Snow White.  My prince and I can at least share a final kiss for you as they do at weddings before you dance," Gellert told Picquery, then turning to Blaise, drew him into his arms.</p><p>When their mouths met, Gellert felt the now familiar heat racing through his body at Blaise's touch.  It didn't seem to matter where they were or what was going on.  Gellert's entire body savored the kiss.  It was long and thorough, and when they broke away from one another, it was with obvious reluctance on both their parts.  Gellert smirked in pleasure at the disgusted look on Picquery's face.</p><p>"I considered cutting out your tongue, because you once believed you did that to me, but we don't want to leave any traces of foul play when your body is discovered," Gellert told Picquery conversationally.<br/>
He was thrilled to see the sudden look of terror that crossed her face as she fully comprehended the fact that he truly intended to kill her.  With a flick of his wand, he lowered her to the ground.  The shoes began to do their work, causing her feet to dance against their will.</p><p>"Accio wand," Picquery screamed, and with a gasp, Kereston flew toward the older woman.  The little blonde tried to turn her body in mid air so that her back would strike Picquery which kept the wand more out of reach.  Gellert was fast, though, and used a binding charm to hold Kereston back and the wand in her hand as well.<br/>
"No, no," he chided Picquery, then sealed her mouth shut again.</p><p>He didn't want her screaming, and he was certain that would be next.  He should've expected the woman to try something.  She was relatively intelligent and resourceful after all, but what did it matter truly?  He was always better.<br/>
"It will only be about five more minutes," Gellert told Picquery.<br/>
"Perhaps you'll die even sooner."</p><p>He watched grimly as she danced.  Blaise watched impassively at his side.  Kereston and Bramble watched in mild discomfort.  They all watched the execution of Seraphina Picquery in silence, the only sound, the soft tap and scuff of Picquery's new satin dancing slippers as they touched the floor of her sitting room.  Though her face contorted, she could not scream.  Her breaths had initially come fast and hard through her nose, but eventually they slowed as she perhaps saved her resources to try and think herself out of an inescapable situation.</p><p>When she eventually fell, the untraceable poison having gone into her skin and done its deadly work, Kereston sighed in relief and walked over to a low coffee table in the middle of the room.  She placed Picquery's wand upon it.<br/>
"So can we get out of here now," she asked.<br/>
"You'd better make sure no one can tell I touched that wand," she added to Gellert.<br/>
"Already done," he told her with an impatient eye roll.<br/>
"There shall be no traces of anything here at all."<br/>
"They'll probably think she had a heart attack while trying to dance or something," Kereston said, and Gellert smiled.<br/>
"Sounds fitting."</p><p>Bramble carefully approached Picquery and passed a hand over her face before nodding.<br/>
"Indeed she is dead."<br/>
With a crack, he'd apparated them all into Blaise and Gellert's room in the Merlin's Cave hotel.<br/>
"This place is nice," Kereston said appreciatively.<br/>
"Let's show you New York City," Gellert said expansively, moving toward the door.<br/>
"We'll find something to eat...or drink...or both!  I want to celebrate."<br/>
For the first time in fifty years, he didn't have the fear in the back of his mind of an unresolved shadow hanging over him.<br/>
"Are you coming, Bramble?  We could cast an illusion spell on you so that you'll look like a small human," Gellert offered.</p><p>Bramble actually considered for a moment before almost reluctantly shaking his head.<br/>
"Bramble should see to breakfast for the Master and Mistress.  Bramble did not wake them to tell them where he was going, but they will be awake soon.  He would not want them to worry.  They will be glad to hear the news.  Bramble thanks Gellert for the invite though.  Call him when Kereston is ready to go home and he shall return at once.  He is glad this is settled for Master Gellert."</p><p>The elf apparated away with a crack leaving Gellert with his mouth hanging open.  Bramble had called him Master Gellert.  He'd never asked for that or even wanted it.  He didn't need to be the elf's master, but the fact Bramble had used the title meant he truly considered him family.  It was the highest of compliments and made this day of justified vengeance even better.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0078"><h2>78. Live in the moment, on that we can agree.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"No wonder so many Americans are over weight," Kereston said, cramming another bit of bacon, egg and sausage biscuit into her mouth.<br/>
"This is so good!  Their bacon is better than ours too...so salty and flavorful and thin!"</p><p>"That's what he said, excluding the thin part, of course," Blaise drawled, grinning at Gellert.<br/>
Kereston kicked him under the table, causing him to chuckle at the rise he'd gotten.</p><p>Blaise and Gellert had taken Kereston to an elegantly bohemian Manhattan diner for breakfast to celebrate the death of the evil queen.  The diner prided itself on serving dishes from around the country and even around the world.  Kereston was having a somewhat Southern style breakfast while the two men had loaded omelets.  All three had large steaming mugs of hazelnut coffee.</p><p>"So, will you need to visit the others involved," Kereston asked Gellert, careful of her wording due to the fact they were in public in a Muggle owned restaurant.<br/>
Gellert shook his head.<br/>
"I don't see the part they played in nearly as much of a personal manner.  She instigated it all, so she was the only one I needed to visit," he replied.</p><p>Kereston nodded, expression mildly relieved.<br/>
"Let's have breakfast cinnamon rolls for dessert," she suggested brightly.<br/>
"She's trying to grow American sized," Blaise drawled.<br/>
"Oh come on, it's your vacation," Kereston chided.<br/>
"Live a little."<br/>
In the end, she talked them into the cinnamon roll, gooey with warm frosting and thick with raisins.<br/>
"See?  You can pretend it's healthy because of the raisins," she said with a grin, a huge forkful poised at her mouth.</p><p>After breakfast, they spent the day site seeing in New York City, then took in a comedy play in the evening.  Kereston transfigured her casual and comfortable gray slacks and top into a silver evening gown to attend the play.  Blaise and Gellert were already wearing black suits.</p><p> </p><p>By the time Blaise called Bramble to take Kereston home, the hour was late and they were all exhausted.  Blaise and Gellert hadn't slept at all, and they'd woken Kereston to come help kill Picquery after she'd gotten only a few hours of sleep herself. Blaise and Gellert expected to fall asleep as soon as they were in bed, but the act of cuddling together without clothes gave their bodies other ideas entirely.<br/>
"We do need to celebrate our well executed act of revenge," Gellert managed to say in-between heated kisses.</p><p>"Yes, we certainly do," Blaise breathed, drawing Gellert on top of him, his body already arching hungrily against the other wizard's.  After they were spent, both fell into a deep sleep that lasted for nearly ten hours.  As they'd done what they'd come to New York City to do, they were ready to leave.  Their next stop was Italy, where they enjoyed many historical sights and loads of rich indulgent food.  IN Venice, they even enjoyed a romantic night ride in a gondola.</p><p>They remained in Italy until early December, then traveled to Norway.  They decided to do their Christmas shopping there because the merchandise was unique enough to ensure most of the people on their list wouldn't already have whatever they found for them.  Most of the people on their list got antique Viking relics enchanted for protection.  Gellert made a point of buying Millicent and Wolfgang a Viking style troll figurine.</p><p>"A troll for our trolls," he said happily, finding his choice delightfully apt.<br/>
"You're so mean," Blaise said, laughing.<br/>
"You love it, though," Gellert told him and Blaise nodded, leaning to kiss him.<br/>
"Of course I do."</p><p>They also picked up some priest blessed antique Viking weapons and jewelry for their shop.  The one they planned to get around to opening eventually...once they were good and ready.</p><p>They remained in Norway until a few days before Christmas, then went home to be with the family for the holidays.  Both parents embraced Gellert and Blaise as if they hadn't seen them in centuries.<br/>
"Our little babies," Sabra said.<br/>
"You're looking well.  Both of you have glow in your cheeks and sparkle in your eyes.  Travel suits you."<br/>
"Glow," Geo asked with a chuckle.<br/>
"Don't worry," Blaise told his father dryly.<br/>
"We aren't pregnant."<br/>
"Thank all the gods," Geo replied.<br/>
"Cause if you were, I don't think my fragile little eggshell mind could handle it."</p><p>"After all those faked funerals, your mind is as strong as an ox.  It can handle anything,"  Gellert told Geo, laughing and tossing back his blonde curls.<br/>
He realized that it felt good to be home. He'd missed these people...the people he'd come to think of as his parents.  He even missed Blaise's friends who were now his friends.  He missed the familiar streets of London and that Chinese restaurant to which he may have become a little addicted.</p><p>"A letter came yesterday addressed to you both," Bramble said, approaching with a scroll.<br/>
"It has holly and ivy decorating it so Bramble assumes it is some sort of holiday greeting.  For that reason he did not bring it to you in Norway, thinking that you would prefer to open and reply to such non urgent mail here at home."<br/>
"You were wise, and correct," Gellert said, smiling gratefully at the elf as Blaise took the rolled parchment.<br/>
"Thanks, Bramble," he said, opening it at once.</p><p>"It's from Mag and Severus...They invite us to Durmstrang for NewYears Eve.  They're having a party," Blaise said.<br/>
Gellert grinned, eyes sparkling at the prospect of another new adventure to look forward to.  It felt thrilling and magical, and he knew this holiday season would be just as wonderful as his first spent with Blaise last year.   In fact he felt that from now on each holiday season would prove to be full of magic and wonder.</p><p>To be invited back to Durmstrang, a place from which he was unfairly expelled, seemed to be another stage of karma perhaps righting a few wrongs.  Picquery was dead and Durmstrang was welcoming him home.  With a year as wonderful as this one almost over, he was eager to see what the next one would bring.</p><p>As they'd done last year, the Zabinis spent the holidays with both families.  Sabra's in London and Geo's in Italy.  It was a long standing tradition that worked.  This time, Blaise and Gellert didn't shag on the Christmas pizza of the Zabini grandparents.  Both felt it had been a beautiful moment that would be ruined by making it more than a one time thing...aka they didn't want to risk getting caught.</p><p>On New Years Eve they packed their bags and headed to Durmstrang.  Mag and Severus met them at the front door with Albus Dumbledore and Bera Karkaroff.<br/>
"Wow!  It's so bloody good to see all of you," Blaise said, finding that he meant it.  Though he'd never particularly clicked with Dumbledore, and didn't know Karkaroff well, it still pleased him to see them looking so healthy and happy.</p><p>"We're all loving it here," Albus said, giving them both a warm smile.<br/>
"Do come in out of the cold!  We have time to have tea and chat because the party won't start for another two hours."<br/>
"Yes," Mag said.<br/>
"We invited you earlier than everyone else so we could catch up!"</p><p>The place was heavily decorated for the holidays in old Pagan Yule and Solstice themes that Blaise and Gellert very much enjoyed.  Bera led the way into the library where a lavish tea for the six of them was already spread out on a large round table in the middle of the room.  Small sandwiches and cakes filled several plates and the smell of spiced cranberry wafted from the tea pot.  It was all delightfully festive.</p><p>Nightshade was already helping himself to one of the sandwiches while everyone seated themselves.<br/>
//Hi.  I wasn't goin' out there to freeze my balls off just to greet you and shit, so I am saying hi now,// the owl thought to Gellert who smirked.<br/>
//Do owls have balls, then?//<br/>
//Wanna find out,// the owl asked cheekily and Gellert nearly choked on his cranberry tea.<br/>
//No.  I think I can live without that particular bit of knowledge.//<br/>
//I thought so,// the owl replied in a satisfied mind tone as he snatched another sandwich.</p><p>"I thought you may be interested to know that I have at last discovered how I was captured," Gellert said, turning to Albus.<br/>
"As they used you in their cover up, I feel you deserve to know why."<br/>
White brows rose as Dumbledore turned from the plate of cakes to regard Gellert.<br/>
"Very well.  I must admit to being very curious."</p><p>"We paid a visit to Ms. Picquery and she was eager to tell me everything I wanted to know after a bit of a very well known truth potion," Gellert said with a slight smirk.<br/>
"Apparently some Muggle radio waves or frequencies or what ever it is, can disrupt magic in the way our magic disrupts their technology.  They filled the building I was in with these radio waves and then released a gas that puts one to sleep.  It knocked me out.  It is one that Muggle doctors use for putting their patients under for surgery, so I was rendered heavily unconscious.  The involved Ministries didn't want word to get out of how they utilized Muggle methods to bring me down for fear other wizards would learn to use them against one another...Other wizards with my goals, perhaps.  So asking you to take the credit seemed a safer if less logical bet."</p><p>Albus nodded.<br/>
"I understand.  Thank you for satisfying my curiosity on the matter."<br/>
Dumbledore was wise enough to ask no more on the subject of Picquery.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0079"><h2>79. I know we're about to have a good time, cause I got all my friends with me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So are you all enjoying your new home," Gellert asked, glancing around from Albus to Mag, Severus and Nightshade.<br/>
"We really do," Severus said, and Mag smiled and nodded her agreement, covering his hand with hers.<br/>
"Every day I'm here it's like a vacation," she said, and Severus snorted.<br/>
"That's because you don't teach.  I do rather enjoy teaching dark arts here more than in Scotland, because the students are just a bit smarter on average."</p><p>"Hey," Blaise exclaimed, speaking up for the first time in nearly half an hour.<br/>
"I was a brilliant student, if you recall."<br/>
Before Gellert, Blaise could easily sit through an hour long conversation, even among friends, and perhaps speak a few sentences.  When he and other friends told Gellert as much as an example of how much Blaise changed in the blonde's presence, Gellert found a quiet Blaise difficult to believe.</p><p>He was seeing it in action now, though.  Blaise seemed far more content to observe than participate this evening.<br/>
"Indeed.  My Blaise is most brilliant," Gellert added, giving Severus an indignant look.<br/>
Snape rolled dark eyes.<br/>
"I said on average if you recall," he drawled.<br/>
"I did always want to go to Durmstrang, though," Blaise said.</p><p>"You were right.  You would've enjoyed the curriculum far more," Severus told him.<br/>
Albus frowned.<br/>
"I'm right here, you know...The person who arranged the curriculum at Hogwarts, whom you are not so subtly insulting is sitting right here."</p><p>"Oh yes," Blaise smirked.<br/>
"So sorry."<br/>
Albus frowned, not missing the dry sarcasm in Blaise's apology.<br/>
"It is good to see you doing so well, though, Headmaster," Blaise added.<br/>
"Well thank you.  But I am no longer headmaster, and I can't say I miss it.  I enjoy teaching Transfiguration and no one has guessed who I am.  I have taken the surname of Gryffindor as the Dumbledores are descended from Godric Gryffindor, and no one has questioned it.  At school I look like a younger version of me via transfiguration."</p><p>"I keep telling him that I don't think the younger version is that much hotter, but he von't believe me," Bera said with a laugh.<br/>
Gellert smirked.  He took that to mean that neither version was hot, but no one was asking for his interpretation so for once he would be polite enough not to give it.<br/>
"You're plenty hot just as you are," Bera told Albus, and the old former headmaster blushed, looking openly flustered.</p><p>//Prof doesn't have to be as shitty to his students here, cause they aren't as stupid, so I am sometimes bored.  It's alright though.  The food is good so I don't hate it here,// Nightshade said.</p><p>"How do you disguise yourself," Gellert asked Severus curiously.<br/>
Severus shrugged.<br/>
"Not very different really.  I wear a hat and use the name Severe Prince."<br/>
"Not trying to hide very hard, are you," Blaise drawled and Severus shook his head.<br/>
"Not truly.  Albus and I don't really want to deal, to return to our old lives, but we did nothing we can't work around if we are discovered, so there is no reason to put more effort into hiding than we need to."</p><p>Gellert nodded.<br/>
"That makes sense, I suppose."<br/>
"Albus goes by the name Phoenix Gryffindor," Bera said with a chuckle.<br/>
"It sounds like some sports star, doesn't it?"<br/>
"I was hoping it sounded like a grand wizard," Albus said and she patted his hand.<br/>
"Of course it does, Love," she reassured.<br/>
The young woman's eyes remained on Albus's face as she spoke, the expression openly doting.<br/>
"Guess vat," she said, smiling as she suddenly turned to Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
"Ve are getting married in March!"</p><p>"And we are getting married in January," Mag added.<br/>
"You'll be attending both weddings, of course," Severus concluded causing Blaise and Gellert to chuckle.<br/>
With that everyone was all caught up on one another's news.  That was a good thing because the other guests began to arrive.</p><p>There were many Bulgarians from the area including Bera Karkaroff's younger brother, Igor.<br/>
"I teach ancient hexes," the young man said proudly when he was introduced to Blaise and Gellert by his older sister.<br/>
"Mr. Grindelwald, it is a true honor."<br/>
"Why thank you," Gellert said warmly.<br/>
"Ancient hexes was one of my favorite classes when I attended school here."</p><p>Blaise was proud of the fact he could call Gellert Grindelwald his.  When people came up to him and treated him like a wizarding rockstar, Blaise was proud of Gellert, because he deserved all the adoration. He was a brilliant wizard who had done great things while trying to better the wizarding world.  He was the true magical trickster who'd made a game out of pulling the rug out from under several Ministries For Magic consecutively.</p><p>"And you, Mr. Zabini," Igor Karkeroff continued, turning his nearly shy smile on Blaise.<br/>
Blaise tried not to look taken aback, but he hadn't expected to be spoken to.  It wasn't that he wanted to hang back in the shadows, but when people were giving Gellert his due, he didn't mind at all basking in the other man's radiant blonde glow.  It was hot in the best of ways.</p><p>"Hello," Blaise said, smiling back.<br/>
"I was wondering if I could pay you for one of those magic dispersal amulets," Karkaroff asked, stepping closer so that he could speak in a quiet murmur and still be heard.<br/>
Blaise appreciated the tact in that because in truth, he and Gellert didn't want to sell a ton of those amulets.  If everyone could disperse magic, there was no point and it was no longer a useful coveted item.</p><p>"My sister considers making me headmaster some day and I feel a headmaster should have the best of protections," Igor explained.<br/>
Blaise nodded.<br/>
"Understandable.  Gellert and I don't produce many of those, but we can make one for you for an unreasonable fee.  Of course it's what we'd charge anyone, but because you're one of ours, we'll give you a twenty percent discount."<br/>
Karkaroff chuckled.<br/>
"That sounds most excellent.  Thank you."</p><p>Gellert grinned.  He was just as proud of Blaise as Blaise was of him.  The young man's enchantments were impressive.  Some even more complex than Gellert had produced at his age.  And that was sexy.<br/>
"We are opening a shop where we will be selling our items as well as some we've found on our travels that are particularly rare and interesting," Gellert told Igor.<br/>
"We won't be ready for perhaps another year as we're still enjoying our travels, but when we are, I think we may have a grand opening party, and we'll invite all our favorite people.  Of course you'll get an invite," he said, flashing a charming smile.</p><p>"A grand opening party is a brilliant idea," Blaise said, face breaking into an excited smile.<br/>
He could practically see the dollar signs rolling in and that was hot.  He couldn't resist slipping an arm around Gellert's waste and the blonde leaned into him.<br/>
"How exciting," Igor said, seeming to sincerely mean it.<br/>
"I will await my invitation, then."<br/>
"We promise you'll be getting it," Gellert said.</p><p>"Hi, Prats," Millicent called, and the two turned to greet her and Wolfgang.  They'd gotten together the day after Christmas when all of the local friends met for a little post Christmas party, so they didn't have to do any catch up.<br/>
"Hi troll," Gellert greeted with a dazzling smile and a toss of his blonde curls.<br/>
"Don't call me a troll," Millicent said, poking him in the chest with a finger.<br/>
"Don't call me prat," Gellert told her, grin widening.</p><p>Millicent frowned, pretending to think.<br/>
"But you are a prat," she told him.<br/>
"Yes but you are a troll," Gellert said, and burst into laughter, ducking as she pretended to punch him.<br/>
"Ah the joys of friends showing love," Kereston said, rolling her eyes as she sauntered up with Kreacher at her side and Regulus a step behind.<br/>
"Gellert?  I was hoping you'd give us the Durmstrang tour," she said.<br/>
"I always wanted to attend Durmstrang," Regulus said with a wistful sigh.<br/>
"So did every Slytherin and Ravenclaw boy worth his magical salt," Blaise said with an understanding chuckle.</p><p>"Shouldn't Severus or Albus do the honors," Gellert asked Kereston.<br/>
"They actually work here."<br/>
"Yeah, but you're you, and you used to go here and we want to see your favorite places, and where you drew the Hollows on the wall."<br/>
Even Millicent looked interested and Gellert was honestly surprised.  After some of their comments on his former actions, he wasn't so sure they valued him in that way.</p><p>"Alright," he said slowly, not bothering to hide his surprise.<br/>
The party was being held in the dining hall, so he led the way out and toward the library.  The halls were dark and he felt the years suddenly, as for a moment, he forgot in which direction the library lay.  It had been a very long time.  A little over one hundred years!  Rarely did he feel older than he looked these days, but at present he did just a little.</p><p>They all drew their wands to light the way.  The gray stone of the walls and floor came sharply into view, light and shadow playing on them in equal measure.<br/>
"I love how literally dark this school is," Regulus said with a grin.</p><p>Like Gellert, Black looked younger than he was.  Everyone present could've passed for students here, Gellert thought.  Well probably not Kreacher but then again, why not.  If the elf wanted to learn even more dark magic, assuming there was some he didn't already know, no one should be brave enough to stop him.</p><p>"Here," Gellert said, pausing to turn into an alcove carved into the left wall as they passed.<br/>
"This was the second place that I carved the hollows symbol."<br/>
Everyone bent to look, Kereston running her finger over it before Blaise did the same.<br/>
"Where was the first," Millicent asked.<br/>
"My dorm room.  I carved it on the wall beside my bed," Gellert answered.</p><p>"I'm surprised they didn't carve over it or polish the stone until the symbol faded," he added after a moment of consideration.<br/>
"Enough people value you and what you tried to do," Regulus told him.<br/>
"To many people you're a hero."<br/>
"That's nice considering how it ended," Gellert said with an uncomfortable shrug.<br/>
With so many people trying to vilify him even in the history books, it was nice to see that enough people remembered his deeds favorably.</p><p>They continued to the library, where they probably spent far too much time considering there was a party going on.  All of them adored books, though, and most were curious about what Durmstrang had to offer.  Those who weren't curious, namely Gellert and Wolfgang, had attended the school so already knew.  After nearly an hour in the library they proceeded to the class rooms and the dueling gymnasium which sported a stone floor covered in various runic symbols, pentagrams, and summoning and casting circles.</p><p>When they returned to the dining hall the tables were full of trays holding glasses of Champaign and bite sized appetizers.<br/>
"The glasses are charmed to refill themselves as soon as they're empty, so everyone is going to get drunk," Mag said with a chuckle as she moved up beside Kereston.<br/>
"We've all survived a hell of a year, and it's time to party!"</p><p>"Hell yeah," Millicent said, and snatched a glass from one of the trays before popping a stuffed olive into her mouth.  Gellert reached for his own glass, then handed one to Blaise before biting into a delicious coconut shrimp.<br/>
"Come on, Kreacher," Regulus encouraged.<br/>
"Tell me which of those appetizers are the best."<br/>
He was obviously coaxing the elf to eat.<br/>
"Try the shrimp," Gellert said with a cheerful grin.<br/>
"Then the olives," Millicent chimed in.<br/>
"They're amazing!"</p><p> </p><p>Tempted by the endorsement, Gellert reached for an olive.<br/>
"Not bad," he agreed.<br/>
Frowning Kreacher carefully picked up a coconut shrimp and took a careful bite.<br/>
"Of course Kreacher could prepare better, but it will do," he proclaimed after thoughtfully chewing.<br/>
He tried the stuffed olive next and nodded.<br/>
"And the cheese cubes," Kereston said.<br/>
"They're so good that I'm on my fourth."</p><p>"Oh god, Gell, they have chocolate covered strawberries," Blaise exclaimed.<br/>
"Those are amazing!"<br/>
Moving to a tray further down the table, he plucked up two of them, passing one to Gellert.  The taste of juicy succulent sweet fruit combined with a hard chocolate shell caused Gellert to groan in a way that was most definitely sexual.  Regulus grinned.<br/>
"Better try one Kreacher.  If not we'll both wonder for the rest of our lives."<br/>
Chuckling, the elf moved forward to take a strawberry.<br/>
"Very well.  Kreacher will over eat if only to please Master Regulus.</p><p>The elf glanced around, a briefly sad expression momentarily crossing his features.<br/>
"Bella and Rod would really have enjoyed this party, Kreacher thinks.  Rabastan too."<br/>
"The men were imprisoned again, weren't they," Blaise asked.<br/>
"And Bellatrix was your cousin, Regulus?"<br/>
"Yes, she is...was..."<br/>
Regulus stumbled over the words, but didn't appear to be grieving the loss particularly.</p><p>"They're better off now, Kreacher thinks," the elf said, and Regulus shot him a warning look, then shrugged.<br/>
Gellert was no bloody psychologist, but that was strange.  It was not at all the way one spoke of someone dead or in prison.  As neither Regulus or Kreacher seemed interested in elaborating, though, he didn't ask.  If they ever wanted to explain, they would.  He valued them as new friends enough not to be rude and attempt to pry into their thoughts simply to satisfy his curiosity.</p><p>"So were they as crazy as everyone says," Millicent asked curiously.<br/>
"Cause right now I'd be scared shitless to run into them...I mean what if they like decided to torture me or something?"</p><p>"They didn't torture randomly," Regulus said with a short laugh that didn't reach his blue eyes.<br/>
"They were always good to Kreacher," the elf rasped half under his breath.<br/>
"Most people were not good to Kreacher."<br/>
"Here, have a drink," Kereston said, thrusting a glass of Champaign into the elf's long fingered hand.<br/>
"It's a party!"</p><p>Gellert gave Regulus a sympathetic look, thinking that it must be a drag for vampires not to be able to drink.  It meant one always had to stay sober.<br/>
Kreacher hesitated and Regulus gave him an encouraging smile.<br/>
"Yes, it's a party.  Kreacher should enjoy himself."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0080"><h2>80. Welcome to the Facts of Life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So was I already super drunk or did Kreacher actually say the Lestranges were better off dead last night," Blaise asked.<br/>"Azkaban must be a drag, but damn."<br/>He and Gellert were slowly dressing to go down stairs for Bramble's traditional New years day breakfast.  Both were sluggish due to mild hangovers, but last night had been a blast so it was worth it.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh...I didn't exactly hear that," Gellert said, turning to give Blaise a thoughtful look as he tucked his black button down dress shirt into black slacks.<br/>
"I heard Regulus avoiding your assumption of Bellatrix's death and the reincarceration of the other two Lestranges."<br/>
He smiled.<br/>
"Granted I was getting drunk myself, so what I interpreted may not have been what Regulus meant at all."</p><p>"Meaning that if they're not dead or in prison, but somewhere else, they're better off," Blaise said and Gellert nodded before shrugging.<br/>
"I recall her death being in the papers, so I am probably quite wrong."</p><p>Downstairs they found Kereston sipping morning new years day Champaign with Blaise's parents at the breakfast table who's holly and ivy centerpiece from the holidays still held center stage.<br/>
"So I really did drunk invite you to new years day breakfast," Gellert told Kereston, tossing her an amused grin.<br/>
He had a vague memory of feeling expansively social when she said she had no plans for today.  New years day should be meaningful, after all, which was the point of having a special breakfast.  Last year he may not have felt comfortable inviting anyone, but everyone in the Zabini family had gone out of their way to make him feel like family, so now it seemed natural.</p><p>"Good morning, Prat," Kereston greeted Gellert with a sunny smile.<br/>
"Hi, Blaise," she added, and Blaise nodded as he and Gellert settled into their usual chairs at the table.<br/>
Sabra pored them glasses of Champaign, smiling.<br/>
"It'll take the edge off that hangover I can see on both of your faces."</p><p>"Thanks, Mum," Blaise said, accepting his glass and taking a rather large swallow.<br/>
His mouth was hangover dry and he did hope the drink's effects would ease the mild headache pulsating over his entire head.<br/>
"Yes, thank you," Gellert agreed.<br/>
"How was the party other than fabulous," Sabra asked.<br/>
She and Geo had gone out with friends in London for New Years Eve.</p><p>"There were no Krums present, so I'd call it perfect," Gellert said, smiling over the rim of his glass.<br/>
"We even made some business connections for our up coming shop," he added, pleased.<br/>
"I'm looking forward to seeing how that goes," Geo said.<br/>
"You boys are going to make us proud."<br/>
Sabra nodded, giving them an eager smile.<br/>
"You shall make me the mother of the two most brilliant and accomplished wizards in the world. I know it.  So thank you in advance for all the future glory."</p><p>Gellert chuckled.<br/>
"It's our pleasure."</p><p>Bramble entered then with breakfast floating ahead of him in the air on golden platters...a lot of breakfast.  There were cream filled pancakes, honeyed strawberries, poached eggs, maple sausages, figs stuffed with cream cheese, stuffed potatoes, baked ham and sliced candied oranges.  The meal was insane but insanely good with a festive flair symbolizing the bounty the rest of the year would bring.</p><p>"That looks wonderful," Kereston said, smiling at the elf who smiled back if briefly.<br/>
"Bramble thanks Miss Kereston."<br/>
He sat down to eat with them, foregoing the Champaign that everyone else was having for water.<br/>
Gellert sighed.<br/>
"I swear one day I am getting Bramble too drunk to walk.  Just to see if he'll smile at all."<br/>
Bramble frowned and Sabra laughed.</p><p>The Champaign did ease the hangover, and by the end of breakfast Blaise and Gellert had completely shaken their lethargy.  Of course by then everyone, including Blaise, Gellert and even Bramble, were completely stuffed, and all of the food was gone.<br/>
"I don't think I'll ever eat again," Kereston groaned.<br/>
"And I shall have to roll my way out of the door to go home."</p><p>"That's all well and good if it keeps that foul Mc Donalds out of your stomach," Gellert said, making a face.<br/>
Kereston rolled her eyes.<br/>
"How long are the two of you in town," she asked.<br/>
"We leave again tomorrow, actually," Blaise told her.<br/>
"January is part of the off season, which means places won't be nearly as crowded.  Crowds can definitely make a vacation more draining and unpleasant so we're making the most of the off season."</p><p>Kereston nodded her understanding.<br/>
"Well have fun and as usual write if anything interesting happens."<br/>
She made a face.<br/>
"And definitely feel free to wake me in the middle of the night again if someone requires killing because I always love being a part of that," she added dryly.<br/>
Gellert grinned.<br/>
"Fear not.  I couldn't leave my favorite little porkey mouth out of anything like that."</p><p>"Bramble knows he will regret asking, but why did you call her Porkey Mouth?"<br/>
Gellert laughed.<br/>
"Because she insists on eating disgusting Mc Donalds HAM burgers, and Ham is from a pig which is pork," he explained.<br/>
"First of all," Kereston began, "Just no.  No.  And second of all, hamburgers are actually made from beef."</p><p>"No they aren't," Gellert said and Kereston sighed.<br/>
"Yes, I promise you they are.  I understand how the name is confusing but it's about who invented them."<br/>
Gellert tossed his hair.<br/>
"I don't care.  It's all stupid Muggle rubbish, and for eating it, you shall ever be Porkey Mouth."<br/>
"Bramble was right," the elf said.<br/>
"He regrets asking."<br/>
"That means the new year shall be full of things you would rather not know," Geo told the elf with a merry laugh and Bramble cringed.<br/>
"Bramble hopes not," he murmured.</p><p>The rest of the day was low key and relaxing.  The next morning Blaise and Gellert left for Greece.  While there they explored some of the oldest temples and Blaise even managed to steal a few stones from the ancient rubble.  He planned to enchant them with the attributes that each temple was known for.  Some they would sell and some they would keep for themselves.  Those from Athena's temple, for example, would be especially fitting to serve as book ends.</p><p>Those from the temple of Dis would be perfect as pocket trinkets to draw riches.  The god was known as the most wealthy and the particular stones from his temple were small enough to easily fit into a pocket.  The stones from Hermes's temple would serve nicely as travel tokens once enchanted.  When taken on a trip, all issues of travel would run smoothly and more than smoothly.  Blaise could already see the future dollar signs in his head and they were lovely.</p><p>They discovered large eyes carved from gemstone in one of the quaint little shops near Poseidon's temple.  They were called eyes of Medusa, and while they had no magic in them at present, Blaise bought several for the shop.<br/>
"We can enchant these to freeze people in place and sell them as thief traps," he told Gellert excitedly.<br/>
"Like the burglar alarm that holds the burglar in place until the owner of the premises arrives.  We can enchant the eye so that the owner can program it with the images of those people he or she allows to enter and if the eye doesn't recognize someone they're frozen in place until freed."</p><p>Gellert smiled as he turned one of the stone eyes over in his hand.<br/>
"Brilliant idea.  It sounds as if it will involve many layers of delightfully complicated enchantments."<br/>
As they both loved exploring various ways of connecting different branches of magical theory, the more complicated an idea, the better.<br/>
"And it also sounds as if it will be expensive," Gellert concluded happily, blue eyes gleaming.<br/>
"Indeed," Blaise agreed."We should be paid well for our efforts, after all."</p><p>After a day of shopping and a delicious Mediterranean dinner at an outdoor restaurant, the two returned to their hotel room in high spirits.  As it was their first day, a quiet evening in felt better than exploring the night life of a new place after a long day of shopping.  The hotel looked like an undersea palace with shades of sea green and coral black and red.  It was called Poseidon's haven.  When Blaise opened the window they could hear the crashing of the sea against the shore and smell the crisp salty air.  The hotel was practically on the beach, which was fitting.</p><p>"This is nice," Blaise said, taking in a deep appreciative breath of the night air.<br/>
"Indeed," Gellert agreed.<br/>
"I traveled so much in my youth, but never really had much of a chance to truly explore the places as I can now do with you.  Oh I always had to know where the pertinent government buildings were, magical and Muggle alike, and the best places to eat, but I never got to know the flavor and personality of a place.  I never got to wander the streets without looking for strategic ways to either attack or escape."</p><p>He moved up beside Blaise and shook his head as he gazed out the window past the green shell patterned curtains that blew gently in the breeze coming off the ocean.<br/>
"All that time spent in so many places that I never truly got to enjoy and in the end none of it counted for anything."<br/>
He heard the sudden bleakness in his own voice and struggled with it, not wanting it to ruin this moment.  At first he was simply marveling over how little he'd actually gotten to see of any of the places he'd visited, and then it had somehow turned into something else...something unwanted.  In truth he really didn't care anymore.  He had been given all that time back, and at last he had an equal to stand at his side.</p><p>"That's hardly true," Blaise scoffed, turning from the window to regard Gellert.<br/>
"It gave you experience.  It sharpened your skills.  It showed you and everyone else that you can run roughshod over any government agency you like.  You never know when such skills will come in handy again.  And if there is ever a need for those skills to come in handy again, you have me at your side."</p><p>Gellert chuckled appreciatively, tossing his hair as he drew Blaise close.<br/>
"The Great Zabini...With you at my side, we could accomplish anything.  I just don't truly feel the need anymore.  Not for a world that truly didn't want to be made better. It isn't worth it."<br/>
Blaise nodded.<br/>
"I'm with you.  Most people are rubbish and not worth the bother.  If there is ever a reason or a need, though, you've got me."</p><p>Gellert kissed him lightly on the corner of his mouth.<br/>
"I know.  It's still nice to hear, though.  You are an amazingly talented wizard, Blaise.  Sometimes I don't think you fully understand your own strength."<br/>
Blaise shrugged.<br/>
"Probably not.  I was once told by a Spanish wizard that I met on summer vacation in my sixth year at Hogwarts, that magical power is tied to emotions.  He called me the least emotional person he'd ever met."<br/>
Blaise chuckled at the memory.</p><p>Gellert stiffened.<br/>
"Is he the boy you said you messed around with a little that one time?"<br/>
Blaise laughed, shaking his head.<br/>
"Oh no.  I would say he prefers the girls, but so did I until you.  He was planning to marry a girl, though, and we aren't one another's type," he concluded, struggling not to laugh again at the very idea.<br/>
"Well," Gellert mused, trying to hide his relief.<br/>
"If you can get in touch with him, what do you think about visiting Spain next?"<br/>
"That could be fun," Blaise said.<br/>
"His name is Romeo Valdez.  I think you'd like him."</p><p>Blaise moved his hands to the buttons on Gellert's shirt as he spoke and Gellert felt himself hardening in expectation.<br/>
"Why," he asked.<br/>
"Would I like him, that is."<br/>
"Because he's interesting.  He enjoys darker arts and defenses.  He is also the only telepath I've ever met who doesn't have to use the traditional forms of magic to read or block.  It's rather natural to him."</p><p>"That is interesting," Gellert said, and it was but Blaise's hands working on the buttons of his pants were even more interesting.<br/>
As Blaise wrapped a hand firmly around Gellert's erection, the blonde felt his knees going weak.<br/>
"No...Wait," he managed, gently pushing Blaise away.<br/>
"Undress for me.  I want to watch your clothes come off."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0081"><h2>81. We were never being bored</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They remained in Greece for a few pleasant weeks.  Blaise had plenty of time to contact Romeo and see if he was interested in meeting up in Spain and showing them around a bit.<br/>"I told him I thought he'd be very interested in meeting my man," he told Gellert, a lazy amused grin playing over his full lips.<br/>He'd just given the letter to the hotel mailing service.  It was fittingly called Athena's Owls.</p><p>"That should get his attention.  When we met, two summers ago, I was quite single and interested in staying that way, and of course I fancied girls."<br/>
He chuckled.<br/>
"He should definitely be curious."<br/>
Gellert found himself looking forward to their next stop, though Spain had never been a place of particular interest before.  He usually found the people Blaise liked to be quite enjoyable.  He and Blaise were very similar, and as Blaise tolerated so few people, those he did were often special in some way or other.</p><p>They spent the day browsing little quaint magic shops and walking on the beach.  When they returned to the hotel to change for dinner, there was a reply from Romeo for them at the desk.  Blaise didn't open it until they were in their room, and when he did he stood beside Gellert so they could read it together.</p><p>Blaise,<br/>
What a surprise to hear from you, but a pleasant one.  I was growing bored with my studies.  I am in fact training to be an Auror as I told you I planned to do.  Your MAN?  I am surprised and curious and can't wait to see you both!  Let's meet in Barcelona, for its roots are old and I think you and your MAN will find it most interesting.  Write me with your arrival date and the name of your hotel.  I will take you and your MAN to lunch.<br/>
Romeo<br/>
P.S, if you need help finding a good hotel, let me know.</p><p>Blaise chuckled as he read.<br/>
"From the way he capitalized MAN every time, I can tell he's as curious as I wanted him to be," he said, obviously satisfied with himself.<br/>
He wrote Romeo back, saying that they'd arrive in three days and that his elf had found them a suitable hotel already.  They dropped it off at the hotel desk to be delivered on their way out to dinner.</p><p>They were really loving the Mediterranean diet they'd adopted while in Greece.  Though they'd tried several restaurants, there was one they liked best, and as such was the one they visited most frequently.  It was called Palace of the Gods.  The food was perfect, and the service was fast and friendly.  There was seating outside with an ocean view or inside where it was cooler and they were surrounded by replicas of ancient Greek statues.  This particular evening they opted for the in door seating.</p><p>They had a glass of wine before dinner and two after, lingering at the table, idly talking about nothing and everything.  At times like this they could devour one another's company and one another's words with even more eagerness than the delicious food.  When they left the restaurant, the night breeze was pleasantly strong, serving to cool down the heat of the day.  As they walked back to the hotel, it kept blowing Gellert's hair across his face and the blonde had to keep pushing it back with an annoyed frown.</p><p>"At times like this, I think I want to cut it short, then I realize how utterly stupid I'd look with short hair," Gellert complained, giving Blaise  a grin.<br/>
"Unlike you, I don't have the proper head and neck structure for short hair.  I'd look like a plucked chicken."<br/>
"You would certainly look...unusual," Blaise said, lips twitching.<br/>
"I love it when your hair is all windblown.  It sort of looks like I just shagged you senseless and that's hot."<br/>
"It makes me ready to be shagged senseless right now," Gellert murmured, leaning into Blaise's back as the dark haired wizard opened the door to their hotel room.</p><p>When the door was unlocked, Blaise moved to open the window as he always did.  They loved to feel the night breeze off the ocean while they slept.  At once the room filled with the pleasing scent of salt air as the seashell patterned curtain billowed into the room.  Turning from the window, Blaise drew Gellert into his arms and kissed him hungrily.  The blonde's lips tasted of the salty sea air, and Blaise needed more.  They wasted no time in undressing one another and were soon tangled on the bed, devouring one another's mouths.  Gellert was quick to cover himself in cream and slip inside of Blaise, raising up on one arm to stroke the dark haired wizard's erection as he moved within him.</p><p>The sea air wafted across their skin as they moved together, adding to the overwhelmingly pleasant sensations of both.<br/>
"God yes," Blaise gasped, thrusting upward as Gellert stroked him.<br/>
"I want to watch you finish over both of us.  I want to see how much you want me right now," Gellert said, kissing him deeply as he thrust inside, hand still stroking Blaise's length.</p><p>Blaise was so beautiful, and he was even more so when he was like this, the want for Gellert all over his face and expressed in every needful thrust of his body.  When Blaise spilled himself in a warm jet over both of them with an incoherent cry, Gellert was quick to follow.  Thrusting into Blaise's tight warmth a final time, he called the other wizard's name as his eyes closed in pleasure.</p><p>Their last few days in Greece passed quickly.  When Bramble arrived to apparate them and their things to Barcelona, Blaise was ready to go.  Though he'd miss Greece, he knew they would visit again sooner rather than later.  It was one of the places they'd enjoyed the most, right up there with Switzerland and as such a place to which they would return frequently.  He was eager to see what Barcelona was like, though.  When he'd met Romeo on vacation two years before, they were in Madrid.  His parents wanted to see a concert there, of all things, so they'd gone.</p><p>Barcelona was an industrial sort of town at first glance, and Blaise was pleased to note that it was also a seaside city.  It wasn't Greece, but it had some of the same attributes that he'd liked about the country.  Romeo met them in the lobby of their hotel.<br/>
"It's good to see you again, Zabini," he greeted enthusiastically, giving Gellert an openly curious look.<br/>
"And you as well, Blaise's MAN."</p><p>This caused Gellert to chuckle.<br/>
"I've heard about your special talent...Let's see if you are good enough to discover who I am without the usual polite introductions."<br/>
"Just don't say much about it  aloud, here in public,"  Blaise warned.<br/>
"It's a bit of a private matter."</p><p>Romeo nodded.<br/>
"Now I'm really interested...Which is only fair considering I don't like most people to know about my unique ability.  It was used against me once and I won't have it done again," he said, expression suddenly turning hard and grim.<br/>
"So if we both know something private about one another, I guess it's a fair trade.  Are both of you ready to go to lunch now?"</p><p>They nodded and Romeo led the way out of the hotel.<br/>
"Your ability was used against you," Gellert asked, intrigued.<br/>
"We can walk, it's less than a block away.  Didn't Blaise tell you what happened to me?"<br/>
"I thought you'd prefer to do that," Blaise replied with a shrug.<br/>
"Oh sure," Romeo said.<br/>
"Your MAN and I can exchange war stories.  I somehow bet mine were more fucked up."</p><p>"So you see who he is, then," Blaise asked carefully.<br/>
"It's pretty impressive," Romeo answered, looking at Gellert rather than Blaise.<br/>
"I do admit to being shocked, but I'm even more impressed."<br/>
Gellert chuckled.<br/>
"You have a good poker face, because I saw neither of those in your expression."<br/>
He also hadn't felt any sort of mental touch either, and his occlumency shields were most excellent.</p><p>"How long did it take you," he asked.<br/>
He was curious about how it worked with a natural telepath, how long it took them to sift for information.<br/>
"Well we've been together around six minutes now and Blaise told me to look after around the first minute, I'd say.  So about five minutes to get the whole story of...let's say your first day of freedom and how it came to be," Romeo said.</p><p>He made a face.<br/>
"And the mushy love the two of you have for one another is making me gag.  It's practically rolling off both of you in sickening waves.  Could you tamp it down at least while we are eating?  Here's the restaurant," he concluded, stopping in front of a small stone hovel.</p><p>Gellert felt his annoyance and dismay rising in equal measures because the place looked horrid.  Was it going to be another McDonalds, only of a wizarding variety.<br/>
"Are you sure," he asked as Romeo pushed open the door.<br/>
"Trust me," the young man said, grinning over his shoulder at them as he went inside.<br/>
"Wait," Gellert called.<br/>
"How do you feel about Muggle McDonalds?"</p><p>"What?"<br/>
Romeo turned back toward him, a confused expression on his face.<br/>
"I hardly see what it has to do with this...Come in, they don't like the door left open.  This restaurant is the best kept magical secret in all of Spain."<br/>
He grinned.  Sighing, Gellert entered, Blaise walking at his side.  The place wasn't at all the same on the inside.  There had been enlargement charms done on it, and it was beautiful, all high ceilings covered in ornate carvings and the walls paneled in faceted sparkling led Crystal.  The tables looked to be made of crystal as well.  Even the chairs matched, carved out of the same sparkling led crystal and Gellert could make out faint traces of the strengthening spells that had been used on them when they were crafted so they'd hold a person's weight.</p><p>When the door closed behind them, Romeo asked,"Now what about McDonalds?"<br/>
"Never mind," Gellert said.<br/>
"It doesn't matter now."<br/>
Gellert would be shocked if a place this nice served anything close to as foul as the trash offered up as food at McDonalds.<br/>
Romeo shrugged, shaking his head.<br/>
"Okay then," he said, giving Gellert a bemused grin.<br/>
"And I won't even look into your head to see what the issue was, because that's rude and I don't do that to friends without permission.  I can't say I give as much courtesy to others, though, after what I've been through."</p><p>"I'm sure if we run out of things to talk about over lunch, Gellert will be glad to share," Blaise said with a slight smile.<br/>
"Of course," Gellert agreed.<br/>
In truth, though, he was far more interested in whatever had happened to Romeo to cause that hard look to come into his eyes whenever he spoke of it.  The look that said plainer than words, that when push came to shove, he'd kill first and ask questions later.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0082"><h2>82. War Stories</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Romeo led them to a table in the back of the restaurant rather than waiting to be seated.  It seemed here the diners were allowed to choose their own table, which meant less waiting about.  The waiter arrived promptly with colorful menus.  When he asked for their drink order, Blaise realized that he had no idea what drinks were common here.  Romeo must have seen his perplexed expression because he grinned good naturedly.<br/>"Have you guys ever had Horchata?"<br/>When both shook their heads he asked, "Do you enjoy cinnamon?"<br/>Blaise nodded.<br/>"Sure," Gellert said with a casual shrug.</p><p>"Three Horchatas," Romeo told the waiter.<br/>
When the man hurried away, Romeo turned back to Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
"It's different.  I think you'll enjoy it."<br/>
He opened his own menu then so Blaise and Gellert did the same.  Soon the waiter was back with three tall frosted glasses.</p><p>Blaise was pleasantly surprised to find that the food served in Spain, if not precisely Greek, was still very Mediterranean in nature.  He and Gellert decided upon several dishes to share including a form of sliced ham, a type of Mediterranean rice, and garlic prawns.  Romeo ordered a cold soup.  Once the waiter was gone with the menus, Blaise flicked his wand around the table, performing a privacy charm Wolfgang had taught he, Millicent and Kereston the first day they'd met him.<br/>
"We can talk now without being overheard,"  he said.<br/>
Romeo nodded.<br/>
"I see that!  Nice spell."</p><p>The young man was a year older than Blaise.  He had short dark hair and classically attractive Spanish features and eyes that many girls likely found pleasing.  Like Gellert he was of average height but his build was a bit more muscular than Blaise or Gellert's lanky body type.  He wore a white button down shirt and brown slacks.  Though his clothes were neatly pressed and of good quality, he made more of a low key contrast to Blaise and Gellert in their black suits.</p><p>"So...Gellert Grindelwald," Romeo said with a grin.<br/>
"I must say I never thought I'd be sitting across the table from you, having lunch.  Someone getting you out of prison to help out rather than allowing you to rot in there makes good sense, though.  I swear the god damn law is stupid and cowardly.  Were they worth the trouble it took to train them, Voldemort would never have gotten nearly as far as he did."<br/>
There came that hostile look in the young man's eyes that had Gellert so curious and intrigued.  He nodded.</p><p>"Indeed.  I once sought to change that, but...not enough others were willing to rise out of their own cesspool of fear."<br/>
Gellert didn't bother to keep the disgust and contempt from his voice.  Though he'd learned to play nice in front of some people, he didn't think this young man would appreciate it, and of course with Blaise he could always be entirely himself.<br/>
"I always thought you had the right idea," Romeo said frankly.<br/>
"If you could accomplish those goals without harming any innocents, I'd help if you are ever of a mind to try it again."<br/>
Gellert had to struggle to keep the surprise from his face, only giving a brief thoughtful nod.<br/>
"At this point, the world has robbed me of any interest in doing so, but I will keep that in mind," he said honestly.<br/>
"I have a family now, and more to lose if anything didn't go as planned."</p><p>Romeo nodded.<br/>
"I get that.  I'm getting married next year."<br/>
He gave Blaise an eager grin.<br/>
"Remember the girl I told you about?"<br/>
Blaise nodded, having some recollection of Romeo being wildly infatuated with some girl.<br/>
"Well she said yes!"<br/>
"That's great," Blaise said and Romeo laughed.</p><p>"He doesn't give two shits," he told Gellert firmly.<br/>
"I swear when I first met him, I thought he had to be faking...or posing to seem cooler.  No one can give that little of a fuck, or so I thought.  So I looked into his mind and to my surprise his indifferent act is entirely real and honest.  He gives zero fucks about most things."<br/>
Romeo shook his head with an incredulous chuckle.</p><p>"That's one reason I was so shocked to see him involved with anyone, much less a man.  I get it now.  The two of you are a good match, though you do seem to give more of a fuck in general," he told Gellert with an amused smirk.<br/>
"He definitely gives a fuck about you, though.  It's sort of in every crack and crevice of his mind."<br/>
Blaise and Gellert exchanged an amused grin.<br/>
"And I don't think he's even trying to sound dirty," Gellert observed lightly.<br/>
"Still, he's doing a good job of it," Blaise said.<br/>
"Ewe," Romeo protested, laughing.</p><p>Their food arrived then and for a moment they focused on that and nothing else.  Blaise and Gellert sampled each dish they'd ordered, discussing it's flavors and their favorable impressions.<br/>
"So," Gellert said, turning to Romeo once their initial taste testing was over.<br/>
"What's your war story?"</p><p>Romeo put down his soup spoon, frowning broodingly down into the bowl in front of him.<br/>
"As it turned out several professors in Spain's magic school were followers of Voldemort," he said flatly.<br/>
"They planned to rise in his ranks with...what I call their extra credit project."<br/>
Gellert found himself leaning forward slightly in interest as he ate.</p><p>"It seems they found a dark twisted sick spell that allows a person to steal another's magic."<br/>
He gave a sudden sardonic smile.<br/>
"Now that I think of it, it works much the way that draft of life does that gave you your youth...Only the person doesn't die.  Instead their spirit breaks until they willingly hand over their magic rather than their life.  The magic goes into a glass orb then the wizard can put it into themselves or give it to someone else.  Most of them were probably planning to give it to Voldemort."</p><p>Gellert's eyes widened slightly. That one, he'd never heard of.  Having the combined magic of enough wizards could potentially give one the power of an obscurial without the lack of control.  He wouldn't ever be willing to do what it sounded like it took to make such a thing come to be, though.  The look on Romeo's face as he spoke of what happened to him made Gellert feel wrong.  The boy's obvious feeling of being tainted was nearly tangible and he didn't ever want to be a part of anything like that no matter what people said of him.</p><p>Romeo drew in a deep breath, then continued.<br/>
"They went after several students before they were caught.  Each of their targets was treated differently because...well each person's individuality means that it takes different things to make each one break.  One girl was forced physically...by a professor who she'd once had a giant crush on.  Another boy in my dorm was made to break himself with a cursed book that drove him mad.  I...I was forced, under the Imperius curse, to torture a baby."  He closed his eyes and drew in a shuddering breath.</p><p>"My own baby brother to be specific...My parents were tearing the country apart looking for their missing two month old and he was in the private chambers of the most evil cunt bitch of a professor in the world."<br/>
His dark eyes suddenly flashed with satisfaction.<br/>
"She's dead now, though.  When the Aurors busted the school up one of them let me kill her."<br/>
"Really!"<br/>
Gellert didn't bother to hide his surprise on that one.</p><p>"He saw what it did to me...how much I needed to know she wasn't ever coming back," Romeo said.<br/>
"Gods I thought my brother would be afraid of me, but it was as if he knew I didn't want to hurt him...I was so afraid his first fucking word would be crucio."<br/>
Romeo swallowed hard.<br/>
"That's why I was never impressed even with Voldemort's level of depravity.   He is small.  Pathetic, twisted and small.  No flair or true depth of imagination," Gellert said, giving a slight dismissive shake of his head.</p><p>"It took them too long to discover that something was happening at that school," Romeo said through gritted teeth.<br/>
"That's why I decided to become an Auror...a better Auror.  Like those who actually came in and rescued us, because they gave a shit.  One of them, the girl I'm going to marry, actually, took it upon herself to investigate something that she felt was strange while stealing books from our library."</p><p>"Wait," Gellert said with an incredulous laugh.<br/>
"An Auror was stealing books?"<br/>
Romeo grinned.<br/>
"She's actually more of a...hired consultant than an actual Auror, but yeah, she's got her own set of rules."</p><p>His eyes shone as he spoke of her, the only time his face truly lit up.<br/>
"I won't ever allow things to happen on my watch like what was done in my school.  I'll kill any sick bastard before I put them away simply because they don't deserve air."<br/>
Gellert nodded.  From Romeo's earlier reaction to him, he understood that the young man's problem wasn't with dark wizards or revolutionaries, but with twisted evil sick human beings, a class he also sought to avoid or rid the world of when necessary.</p><p>Romeo's story was certainly worth hearing.</p><p>"I do agree that your war story is worse," he told him with a fleeting smile.<br/>
"Mine was longer but yours was most definitely more traumatic."<br/>
Romeo returned his smile with a sad one of his own.<br/>
"Not an award I was exactly aiming for, but I guess as I did win it, I'll claim the bastard."</p><p>"Did anyone end up losing their magic before you were all rescued,"  Gellert asked and Romeo shook his head.<br/>
"The girl I mentioned was literally about to have hers taken when they found her and the bastard professor who hurt her.  She's still not alright.  She pretends to be but you can see it in her eyes.  She's just not holding onto reality very tightly."<br/>
Obviously feeling the strain of such a dark topic, he forced a smile for Blaise and Gellert.<br/>
"So...what about the two of you?  What are your plans for the future other than far too much shagging for the comfort of the world?"</p><p>Gellert chuckled.<br/>
"There is never too much of that," he said, shifting his leg slightly so that his thigh touched Blaise's under the table.<br/>
Blaise dropped a hand to the thigh in question, sensually caressing his way upward.  The touch had Gellert eager to return to their hotel room even if they would not end up doing so for hours yet.</p><p>"We've been traveling," Blaise answered Romeo.<br/>
"Just exploring the world together and enjoying it while slowly getting ready to open our shop.  You know I make enchanted items."<br/>
When Romeo nodded, he continued.<br/>
"Gell is just as good at such forms of constructive charms, and together we work far faster on anything.  We're going to open a shop eventually that sells the items we make as well as any odd and ancient items we acquire on our travels."</p><p>"You steal them," Romeo asked, expression mildly disapproving.<br/>
"No.  We leave that to your girlfriend," Blaise said dryly and Romeo was quick to blush.<br/>
"I keep her from doing that now.  If I didn't, she'd end up stealing from the wrong person and get herself killed otherwise.  Plus it isn't right to take other people's things.  What sorts of things are the two of you making?"</p><p>Blaise told Romeo of the magical dispersing amulets and the Medusa eye burglar catchers.<br/>
"That one is our newest idea, but they're all awesome and there shall only be a few of each sold.  We're having a grand opening when we're ready, and you'll definitely be one of those we invite to have first go at our first batch of inventory."</p><p>Gellert smiled, giving a nod of approval.<br/>
"Yes.  And we can show you around London unless you've already been there."<br/>
"Only once and only briefly," Romeo said.<br/>
"So I'd like that.  I'll totally come to your grand opening.  And I really want one of those Medusa eye burglar catchers" he said eagerly.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0083"><h2>83. Just One Word Can Make It So Tough:</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What are the two of you planning to do while you're here," Romeo asked as they left the restaurant.<br/>
Blaise shrugged.<br/>
"We were hoping you'd have some recommendations.  We've just been traveling, enjoying whatever the various countries we're interested in have to offer in way of entertainment and of course if there is a black market for rare magical items we'd have a look."<br/>
"Historical sites are interesting to us as well, especially if they're linked to old magic," Gellert added and Blaise gave an eager nod of agreement.</p><p>"There is a tour I could take you on if you'd like," Romeo said.<br/>
"I took the afternoon off and if memory serves it starts in less than an hour.  My mom worked there for one summer as a tour guide a few years back.  I checked it out once to see what she was doing.  It takes people through some of the most ancient places in the city."</p><p>Blaise and Gellert exchanged a look.<br/>
"Sounds good," Gellert said.<br/>
"Taking the subway there is fast and draws far less risky attention than apparating," Romeo said.<br/>
He slid a worried look to Gellert.<br/>
"Is...that going to be alright with you?"<br/>
Gellert frowned, but arched blonde brows at Romeo.<br/>
"I don't burst into flames of rage around Muggles.  I can ride on their transportation."<br/>
"I may break out in hives from all the poorfume, though," Blaise warned with a shudder.<br/>
"Poorfume," Romeo questioned, giving Blaise a confused look.</p><p>"You know that odor poor people have of greasy food and unwashed bodies packed together too tightly in a small space?  Wizards who are poor smell the same way...It's just there are so many more Muggles.  The food smell is often because their home is so small that they eat and cook in the same room so the smell clings to them," he clarified with a shudder.<br/>
As always, he couldn't help but think of the Weasleys with that definition.</p><p>Romeo laughed, shaking his head.<br/>
"You are a very bad person," he said, but the amusement on his face didn't precisely match the sentiment so Blaise smirked.<br/>
The subway was crowded and loud, but Blaise and Gellert suffered through it, pressing close together in their attempts to avoid being touched by anyone else.  Neither wanted to acquire poorfume or Muggle germs, after all.</p><p>The tour group consisted of Blaise, Gellert, Romeo, and around ten other people of varying ages.  Their guide was an older gentleman who had the bearing of a professor.  He was good at his job, describing the history of each place at which they stopped with captivating stories from battles to earlier settlers to their pagan religious practices.  The tour began in what he referred to as the Gothic quarter. Some of the buildings they saw were nearly one thousand years old.  Some places they were shown had newer buildings, but the spots on which they were built had interesting historical significance including some spots that were claimed to be haunted.</p><p>To reach, what their guide referred to as, almost their final destination, they had to ride the tram.<br/>
"How are you liking it so far," Romeo asked once they were all seated.<br/>
"It's very interesting, actually," Gellert said, and Blaise nodded.<br/>
"I don't remember this last bit," Romeo said.<br/>
"They must have added it on after my mom stopped doing the tours. I never went on any tram ride on her tour."<br/>
"Why did she stop," Blaise asked and Romeo shrugged.<br/>
"We moved further away."</p><p>When they got off the tram, their guide led them down several streets, the final one leading downward into an underground tunnel.<br/>
"These are Barcelona's most well preserved catacombs," he said proudly.<br/>
"Here lie many ancient Celts who once settled this land."<br/>
Before he could continue a rumbling sound interrupted him that seemed to come from the very walls themselves.  The sound rapidly grew louder and the walls, along with the earth under everyone's feet began to shudder.</p><p>It took everyone a moment to realize they were actually having an earthquake, and by the time they did, the walls were falling toward them!<br/>
"I believe it's time to apparate out of here," Blaise said hastily, reaching for Gellert's arm so they could disapparate together.<br/>
"Come on, Valdez."<br/>
But before they could, the rumbling stopped as soon as it began, and the walls proceeded to slowly right themselves as if in perfect reversal of their collapse only seconds before.  It was then that all three of them noticed the magic coming from one of the others on the tour.  The man was middle aged and short with an average build.</p><p>"An earth mage," Gellert breathed in a low voice to Blaise and Romeo.<br/>
He'd read of these wizards but never had an opportunity to see one in action.  Like goblins, their strength lay with the earth.  It was their kind who were credited with building the ancient pyramids and even Stonehenge.  The three stood watching in appreciative fascination and admiration as, within no more than fifteen seconds, the man had righted the damage caused by the quake.</p><p>The rest of their party were either shouting and pushing to get out or exclaiming that the walls were righting themselves and snapping pictures with their Muggle cameras in an attempt to catch the phenomena.  It was then that the Spanish Aurors arrived.  Rather than thanking he who had saved them all, they arrested the earth mage for violation of the Statute of Secrecy.   Gellert watched in shock as two Aurors moved to either side of him and grasped his arms as they took him away.  TO make matters worse they also arrested the man who was standing with him, apparently for being a wizard in the company of he who had not allowed the earthquake to kill them all to protect their precious Statute of Secrecy.</p><p>Other Aurors began to obliterate the minds of the Muggles.  Romeo explained that the three of them were uninvolved wizards and they were allowed to leave.  They hurried up and out of the catacombs, following the rest of the Muggles from their tour group.  As they walked, Gellert spoke quietly to Romeo and Blaise.</p><p>"He was an earth mage, you know.  Have either of you ever heard of an earth mage?  They're very fascinating.  They can manipulate earth as if it was clay.  It's very simple for them.  They excel at earth magic the way some do at transfigurations or potions...or in our case, enchantments," Gellert concluded, at last turning to regard Blaise.<br/>
"The most fascinating thing for me is that I believe he was even able to use his grasp of earth magic to stop the quake!  I don't think it would've been over without his interference."<br/>
When Blaise nor Romeo answered at first, Gellert frowned.<br/>
"What is the matter?"</p><p>"Are you alright," Blaise asked, frowning in concern as he placed a hand lightly on Gellert's forearm.<br/>
Gellert had been talking nearly frantically of earth mages, hardly even glancing at him or Romeo while he spoke.  It wasn't like him, and it worried Blaise.</p><p>"Sure," Gellert said with a shrug and Romeo gave his head a slight shake.<br/>
Gellert let out a breath.<br/>
"What happened back there...It wasn't right."<br/>
"I'm sure they'll let him go," Romeo said.<br/>
"Some of them can be asses.  If it'd been me in charge,, I would've thanked him instead, of course, then obliterated the Muggles."<br/>
"And lost your job for your trouble," Gellert bit out.<br/>
"Hopefully not if I'm careful," Romeo said with a grin.</p><p>"The system has not changed in the least with the passage of time,"  Gellert said.<br/>
"The wizards in charge still choke on their own cowardice."<br/>
Part of him wished they'd not asked, because his anger was rising and voicing it only made it worse.  He really hadn't wanted to feel this kind of anger again.  It made him feel helpless.  It made him feel as though he was drowning in the injustice of the world.  The last time he'd felt this way he'd tried to do something about it and failed.</p><p>"I would've spoken up, but with the way they were acting, I feared they'd take us in as well,"  Blaise said.<br/>
"If they did, you may have more explaining to do than we'd like if any of them decided to do more than a little surface digging, and I won't risk your safety for anything."</p><p>The determined look in Blaise's blue eyes made Gellert smile.  The fact that Blaise thought of him first made him feel safe in an oddly touching way that was beyond difficult to explain.<br/>
"Thank you," he said, reaching to draw Blaise into his arms for an embrace that became heated as their mouths met.<br/>
Romeo cleared his throat pointedly and the two drew apart with obvious reluctance.</p><p>That moment in Blaise's arms had done the trick, though.  Gellert was feeling more in control of himself and his head was once more on the present rather than injustices that he knew he could not change.<br/>
"Can you at least find out if they let them go," Gellert asked Romeo, and the young Spaniard nodded.<br/>
"I'll even write to you as soon as I know something which ought to be soon.  Being an Auror in training, I have a few connections.  Not big ones yet, but they should do to get me that particular bit of information."</p><p>He smiled.<br/>
"There are a few interesting wizarding shops in the Gothic quarter, if you'd like to browse around," he added, obviously hoping to restore the amiable tone the afternoon had formerly possessed.<br/>
"Sure, alright," Gellert said after exchanging a look with Blaise.<br/>
Something interesting to take their minds off the stomach turning rigidity and ignorance of the justice system would be nice.</p><p>The first shop was called Old God Historical Emporium.  It offered a pamphlet all about itself and its wares.<br/>
"I've never come in here for some reason," Romeo said, taking it from the beaming clerk.<br/>
As Romeo unfolded the pamphlet, Blaise and Gellert moved to stand at his shoulders so they could read it at the same time. The shop's claim to fame was that it was located presumably where a temple to Baal built by the Carthaginians used to stand, before it was destroyed by the Catholics.<br/>
"Perhaps that's why I've never come in here," Romeo murmured, turning to look at Blaise and Gellert with a mild expression of trepidation on his face.<br/>
"Wasn't Baal one of the more fucked up gods?"</p><p>"Yeah, just a little," Blaise said dryly.<br/>
"He liked to eat babies, but probably anyone would do.  From what I read plenty of people were sacrificed to him."<br/>
Gellert nodded.<br/>
"In some very twisted ways."</p><p>Frowning he stepped deeper into the shop.  Not because he wanted to precisely, but because he was morbidly fascinated and repelled at the same time.  The place held small statues, primitive idols carved of stone who somehow set Gellert's teeth on edge.  A shelf of obsidian daggers appeared to still sport flecks of dried blood.  More than that, though, the blades seemed coated in an ash like cloud of twisted black magic.  Dark magic, the sort he and Blaise relished wasn't dirty like this sort of twisted blood magic.  Dark magic was like night as fluffy weak so-called white magic was like day.  But this...this was filthy and belonged to neither.</p><p>"I don't think we should buy anything from here," he told Blaise and Romeo quietly.<br/>
Both nodded almost eagerly.<br/>
"Can we get out of here now," Romeo asked.<br/>
Like Gellert's had earlier, his words nearly tumbled out over one another.<br/>
"Gods, please," Gellert said with a quick smile of relief.<br/>
They practically tumbled out the door, leaving the pamphlet behind on the counter.<br/>
"Well to hell with shopping, let's go get a drink," Romeo said.</p><p>They did just that, and once they were all feeling several drinks better, they returned to the Gothic Quarter where Romeo took them to his favorite book store.  Each found several tomes of interest and the shop made a nice bit of gold as a result of their visit.  Next they went to a snack shop that Romeo swore was the best in town.  Blaise and Gellert bought several snacks to try as well as some others to send home for the family to enjoy.<br/>
"We need to buy some for Kereston too," Gellert said.<br/>
"Perhaps something interesting to eat will keep her out of McDonnell's."</p><p>Romeo laughed.<br/>
"Alright.  I've got to hear the McDonalds story...Because after that comment and you asking me about it in that strange way earlier at the restaurant, I really need to know what it's all about."<br/>
Of course Gellert was more than happy to oblige, expounding on the evils of Muggle fast food for nearly half an hour.</p><p>During this time, Romeo led them to another bar, where they had more drinks.  They all needed to emotionally soothe their thirst after such an...unusual day.  After drink number five, Romeo sighed, slumping back into his chair.<br/>
"Yes I have read of earth mages.  They are extremely rare, which is one reason they should go easy on him.  There was no reason for them to be angry that he didn't apparate out and just let the quake roll!"</p><p>Blaise looked drunkenly over in Romeo's direction, his ice blue gaze obviously unfocused.<br/>
"I got extra credit on a charms report for researching earth mages in my second year.  I didn't know they could stop earthquakes though."<br/>
Gellert nodded.  Neither had he.<br/>
"I must say, watching that was quite impressive," he said.<br/>
Though he'd begun the conversation as they were leaving the catacombs, the other two were only just able to resume it now.  He was relieved to know he wasn't the only one unpleasantly impacted by the incident.  It made him feel less self conscious, which put him in the mood to buy another round of drinks.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0084"><h2>84. And I discovered that my castles stand Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They parted from Romeo for the evening after several more drinks.  Romeo promised to write as soon as he had news and he made them promise to meet him for lunch again before they left Spain.</p><p>Blaise and Gellert got directly into the shower upon reaching their hotel room.  They wanted to wash off any poorfume and Muggle germs they may have acquired during the day's too frequent rides on the trams and subways.</p><p>In the shower, they washed one another without saying much, merely allowing the soap, warm water and one another's hands to wash away the physical and emotional filth of the day.<br/>
"How long do you think we'll remain in Spain," Blaise asked idly, remembering Romeo wanted to meet again for lunch before they left.<br/>
"That is, do you know of anything particularly interesting that we should explore while we're here?"<br/>
Gellert shrugged.<br/>
"I know little of the place actually.  I can't say I'm overly impressed yet, but perhaps we should explore a bit more before deciding."<br/>
Blaise nodded.<br/>
"Sure.  Why not?"</p><p>"I swear though," he added with a dry chuckle."One more off move from Spanish Aurors and we're out."<br/>
"Certainly," Gellert agreed with a nod.<br/>
Once out of the shower, drying one another off turned into tantalizing touches and caresses that led them quickly to the bed.  They were a bit drunk, but not too drunk to savor one another's bodies.</p><p>Afterward they lay in a spent tangle on the bed, too content to move.<br/>
"What will you do if Romeo writes with unpleasant news regarding the earth mage," Blaise asked drowsily after a bit.<br/>
"Clarify," Gellert requested, just as sleepily.<br/>
"Ummm.  If they don't release him or if they enforced some sort of penalty that stunted his magic?  Hell I don't know."<br/>
Gellert sighed.  After a few seconds of thought he answered.</p><p>"I suppose I'd speak to the parents about bringing in the Italian Cabal to help."<br/>
Blaise smiled, enjoying Gellert's use of the parents rather than specifying them as just Blaise's parents.  It signified Gellert's connection to them and that was nice.  Very nice in fact.  He was close to Blaise's family as well as to him and that somehow made the bond they'd formed all the stronger.</p><p>"Did you fear that I would become...how do they say these days, some sort of loose canon," Gellert asked and Blaise shook his head.<br/>
"No.  I know you wouldn't endanger what we have or put yourself at risk by drawing the attention of any wizarding government.  I just thought you'd do something to try to help, because it's in your nature to do so for such a cause if you can."</p><p>Gellert sighed.<br/>
"Yes.  If I can, but I won't put anyone in danger for it.  I was never one to do that and especially not now."<br/>
Before they could speak more on that or anything else for that matter, they fell asleep.</p><p>They woke in the morning only mildly hung over and a good solid shagging took care of most of that.<br/>
"You're the only person I've ever hungover shagged, but damn it feels good," Blaise said, still inside of Gellert, spent and sprawled across the blonde's body.<br/>
"Same," Gellert murmured as his arms tightened around Blaise's back.<br/>
"I never had much time to drink before and when I did, I had no inclination to shag during or after."</p><p>Their new inclinations kept them in bed for another delicious hour while Gellert took his turn on top.  Once they were clean and dressed for the day they headed down to find something for breakfast and a news paper.  Both were curious if anything on the quake would be reported.  They had a letter from Romeo waiting for them at the front desk.  Blaise tugged Gellert to a corner of the lobby so they could read it directly.<br/>
Blaise and Gellert,<br/>
The earth mage was released after being issued a warning so all is basically well.  They wanted him to have apparated out and left the Muggles to the quake rather than changing the natural course of events by fixing the quake.  Of course that's stupid but I figured you'd want to know what their problem was.  So no, they didn't expect him to die in the quake, just to allow the Muggles to do so.  That's insane because if it had gotten worse other wizards in any nearby locations could've died as well.  So even if they don't care about Muggles, it seems they allow their issues to cloud their good judgment...If they ever had any.</p><p>I was introduced to the earth mage before his release by the friend who gave me this information and I thanked him in all our names for what he did.  I thought you'd like to know.  Hopefully he'll become a new friend.  I figure the more useful connections the better.<br/>
Romeo</p><p>"Well at least the earth mage was released," Gellert said.<br/>
"And now he knows where his insane government stands."<br/>
His mouth tightened.<br/>
"It reminds me of how the wizards allowed the Muggles to start two world wars because they were too cowardly to exert their rightful control...Only now their bloody fear has spread to natural disasters as well."<br/>
He spoke in an undertone, leaning close to Blaise so that no one would over hear.  He even held Romeo's letter up in front of his face so that it would appear to any passer by that he was reading from it.</p><p>"That's why I always knew I'd never pursue a career in government," Blaise said with a shudder.<br/>
"All their brains are mush or worse."<br/>
"What's worse than mush," Gellert asked curiously, a grin playing over his lips.<br/>
"Shit," Blaise explained and Gellert snickered.<br/>
They bought a news paper from the front desk and took it with them to breakfast in the hotel's dining room.  There was only a brief three line article on the quake, because thanks to the interference of the earth mage it was a very minor one.</p><p>"All the bloody Muggles would be grateful were they aware that they should be.  Were they given the option, they would probably be glad of wizarding rule if it would prevent all the earth quakes that kill so very many of them each year," Gellert murmured, as always, careful not to be heard by anyone other than Blaise.<br/>
The two sat at a corner table and due to the late hour, there were few other diners in the room.  At this point, it was closer to time for lunch than breakfast, but not close enough so the lunch crowd hadn't arrived yet.</p><p>"Agreed," Blaise said with a nod.<br/>
He frowned.<br/>
"I would love to know how the Muggles kicked wizarding ass so thoroughly back in the dark ages to have so many wizards still behaving like frightened rabbits even now," he added with a baffled shake of his head.<br/>
It was Gellert's turn to nod.<br/>
"Indeed.  There has been so much lost to history and the information we have just doesn't add up unless you give credit to numbers alone being the answer."</p><p>Blaise nodded.<br/>
"Sure Muggles breed like roaches, but we have magic.  We can conjure Fiendfyre and let loose properly, that could kill them in droves if necessary.  Not to mention dragons.  Dragons could burn them or eat them.  Either way thins the herd.  I understand what Kereston is saying about their technology and bombs and such now, but back then, when Muggles broke wizards or whatever, they didn't have any of that so it really feels like we're missing something."</p><p>"It truly does," Gellert agreed. "Aside from the satisfying of our curiosity, though, discovering the answer likely would not serve us now.  As you said, they have far stronger weapons today, including those that can kill on a global scale.  They don't at all mind using them on one another, so they definitely would not hesitate to use them on us."</p><p>After breakfast, they spoke to the wizard at the hotel desk to get directions to the nearest wand shop.  Blaise was interested in learning what wand cores were used here in case any were more potent than those they had back home.  Of course considering Mag's wands were double the strength of any wooden wand, aside from perhaps the Elder Wand itself, they weren't interested for their own use.  It was more about seeking knowledge for knowledge's sake.  </p><p>The shop wasn't far away, actually, and as it was also in the wizarding quarter of the city, they could apparate safely without drawing attention.  The wizard at the hotel's front desk was a friendly sort and offered to take them there himself.  They accepted and Gellert gave him a generous tip.<br/>
"It is no trouble," the man said cheerfully.<br/>
"Apparating you I am away from the desk perhaps twenty seconds."<br/>
He took the tip with a smile of gratitude, though and apparated them outside of the wand shop.</p><p>The shop was built along the lines of a log cabin, but instead of being constructed of logs, it was constructed of wands.<br/>
"That's different," Blaise said appreciatively.<br/>
"I bet the energy inside is interesting.  If the wands are real that is and not just carved sticks from mundane trees.  Even if they are the thought was still a good one."<br/>
Gellert nodded in agreement.<br/>
"It is true art."</p><p>They entered and asked the wand maker what wand core options he had.  He was short and thin with a nearly shaved head of closely cropped brown hair.  He wore thick glasses and rumpled robes.<br/>
"Well there is the El Coco hair.  He is along the lines of the German Krampus," he said, giving Gellert a knowing smile.<br/>
Gellert was the one to ask him about the wand cores, and he'd been quick to note his accent.  Gellert smiled back, nodding in approval.</p><p>"That's interesting indeed.  What else?"<br/>
"Well..there is the hair of the tooth mouse.  The mouse is much like the tooth fairy...only this fairy is shaped like a mouse."<br/>
"I like that," Blaise said with an amused grin.<br/>
"It is a tricky wand to use but very loyal once mastered," the wand maker explained.<br/>
"We have wands with the core of giant hair, very good for brute strength.  And some with dwarf beard hair, also for strength.  It is the giant hair for upper and the dwarf beard hair for lower strength you see."</p><p>They did not quite, in fact, but Gellert gestured for him to go on.  Blaise wondered if they made cores out of anything but hair in Spain.<br/>
"Well there is the dragon scale," the wand maker concluded.<br/>
"But you use those in Germany, yes?"<br/>
Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Indeed.  It seems dragons are useful everywhere."</p><p>They thanked the wand maker for his time and apparated back to the hotel.  As the wizard manning the desk was so friendly, they asked him what other recommendations he had for visitors to Spain.<br/>
"In all honesty, it's mainly about the beautiful sights, the good food and the wild women," he told them with a grin.<br/>
"If you're on vacation, I'd explore all of those.  If you're looking for some serious magical studies, though...The most interesting thing we've got is all the magic buried in the old mines.  So many things were built using magic that were covered, and all that magic is just sitting there, no longer being used.  Perhaps it may explode, perhaps it can be harnessed, but there is a lot of it there."</p><p>"Why has no one attempted to harness it yet," Gellert asked.<br/>
"Because doing so is tricky and dangerous.  It would probably cause another earth quake," the man explained.<br/>
"And with this particular government, that certainly wouldn't be worth the risk," Gellert said dryly.<br/>
"Thank you for the information, though.  We will definitely investigate the food and the sights.  As for the women...We're off the market," he explained, throwing an arm across Blaise's shoulders.</p><p>The two decided to leave Spain within the week and wrote Romeo to make their final lunch date as promised.  While the place was lovely, it proved to become dull if they remained for too long.  Romeo was able to meet them for lunch in two days, so they decided to leave the day after that.  It gave them time to see the sights and enjoy the food, which they did.  They went to a Spanish club one night and found they enjoyed dancing to the music as well.</p><p>Lunch with Romeo was at a quaint outdoor restaurant on the beach.  As could be expected, it served the best seafood.<br/>
"So," Gellert asked around a bite of salmon.<br/>
"What sort of hair does your wand have in it?  It's all you lot seem to have in your wands...Hair."<br/>
He shuddered.<br/>
"I hate hair!"</p><p>Romeo smirked as he tugged meat from a crab claw.<br/>
"Why?  You certainly have a lot of it."<br/>
"That's attached to my head.  I hate the idea of loose hair," Gellert clarified with a frown.<br/>
"It's not loose if it's in a wand," Romeo said, laughing.<br/>
"It's not on anyone or anything so it is loose and disgusting," Gellert insisted.</p><p>"My wand has the hair of...you would call it the tooth mouse," Romeo said.<br/>
"I knew it would be a hair," Gellert crowed in satisfaction.<br/>
"It's all you lot use in your wands."<br/>
Blaise smirked.<br/>
"And the dragon scales.  They also have those, don't forget."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0085"><h2>85. Druids And Forbidden Magic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After departing Spain, Blaise and Gellert spent a few months in Wales.  They enjoyed the sites.  Though Blaise and Gellert were rarely ones to prefer nature over city life, the rolling Welsh hills held a mystical sort of power that drew them.  They spent their time there in quaint inns by night and browsing old book shops for rare tomes by day.</p><p>Before heading home to London to begin working on plans for their shop, they stopped off for a month in Cornwall.  Both were a bit fascinated by Arthurian history, and both hoped they might manage to stumble across something rare and magical in the former warlord's homeland.  If they could find no rare items, perhaps they'd stumble across a scroll written by Merlin of coded rare and powerful spells if they were extremely fortunate.</p><p>While they were aware that many other wizards had sought the same in the land of Arthur's birth, they believed themselves to be sharper than those other wizards.  Gellert had found the Elder wand, after all, and Blaise's own creative ideas had served them more than once.  Not to mention many wizardly seekers for traces of Arthur or Merlin and his partner Nimue had their heads in the clouds.  They were too in love with the rewritten and fluffed up histories of them.  The ones that were heavily coated in magical sparkles and conical wizard hats rather than the blood and druidic magic that was the actual reality.</p><p>Arthur was no pretty elegant king.  He was a bulky bear like warlord who sought to protect Great Britain from the invading and unwanted Saxons.  Merlin and Nimue were his druids.  Slytherins, the couple wielded dark magic steeped in curses and blood sacrifices of their Saxon enemies to help fight Arthur's war.  This truth was taken from all but the most rare and ancient of history tomes.  Even hundreds of years ago, those in charge of wizarding education didn't want their little children growing up to be druids who were willing to sacrifice their enemies to the gods for success.</p><p>They much preferred their watered down version of a gentle king and his wizard.  Nimue, Merlin's fierce lady, was diminished to his mere seductress.  During the times of the most intense historical Arthurian rewrites, female power wasn't exactly society's top priority.  When Nimue wasn't being portrayed as a power hungry younger seductress who truly cared nothing for Merlin, she was instead combined with Merlin's goddess benefactress, Vivian, lady of the lake.  The most ancient, far more accurate writings spoke of Merlin having a strong affiliation to water and thus water magic.  As such he served Vivian, lady of the lake.  While Nimue, a wind witch who's powers lay most strongly in the element of air, served Queen Maeb of the faeries.</p><p>With this in mind, Blaise and Gellert extended their research to the fae folk and the oldest gods of the area in the hope of finding traces of Arthur, Merlin and Nimue there as well.  It was fortunate that the two enjoyed the hunt nearly as much as any discovery, because they found very little on this particular topic that they did not already know.  Everything on the subject of Arthur or his druids was written in Gaelic, on which they could easily perform translation spells.  They spent most of their time translating what they already knew for the most part, until the day before they would return to London.</p><p>When at last they discovered something, it was, in the way of many great discoveries, not what they'd expected.  It was on a very ancient scroll that was actually and oddly enough tucked away in a book of Saxon history that Blaise had picked up mainly because it related to the same time period that Arthur lived and fought his wars.  The scroll was one of prophecy.  At least Gellert believed so.  Though no words were spoken of a prophet, the phrasing indicated as much.</p><p>Having returned from their day of book shopping, they were seated by the fire in their bedchamber in the inn in which they'd stayed for the past few weeks.  Gellert had just worked a preservation spell on the parchment to keep it from crumbling in his hands.  It was so old that the translation spell that he cast next was having difficulty illuminating the symbols to translate them.  As a result, Gellert read aloud slowly as the spell struggled to puzzle out each symbol.</p><p>"And there shall come a time when enemy must unite with enemy to fight an even greater evil that will span several...Blast it this word isn't coming through...Perhaps it is worlds, but that doesn't seem logical," Gellert complained.<br/>
"It should say lands, I should think, but no."<br/>
He scowled down at the scroll, then shrugged that word away for the time being and continued.</p><p>"Merlin, Nimue and Arthur must be called then retrained in that which they already know by those most like them who now live.  The enchanter, the mage of wind and fire, and the Muggle of... And there is another word that the spell is having trouble with.  Why does a Muggle need to be involved anyway," Gellert grumped.</p><p>Blaise frowned, considering.<br/>
"Perhaps because Arthur was a Muggle," he speculated and Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Sounds logical.  This thing is too unclear for my liking," he complained with a sigh, but continued on nonetheless.</p><p>"Morgana the wise supports their efforts with earth and feelings."<br/>
His scowl deepened.<br/>
"I hate it when prophecies become so bloody vague and convoluted."<br/>
He paused to work the translation charm on the scroll again for what little good it did.</p><p>"When three worlds? if that's even the right word, meet, victory shall be reached.  Love is the weapon to strike at the heart of evil.  Three groups of three make the mystical power of three the power of nine in each world."<br/>
He sighed in relief lowering the scroll.<br/>
"That's all, and it was so difficult to read and increasingly convoluted that I'm glad of it."<br/>
Blaise nodded with a disappointed sigh.<br/>
"And who knows?  The prophecy may have already come to pass for all we know.  This thing is ancient and it left no date, did it?"<br/>
"Not that I saw," Gellert said.</p><p>Sighing the blonde rubbed at his eyes then carefully tucked the scroll away between the pages of the book where it had lived for centuries.<br/>
"Well this is definitely a curiosity to add to our library at the very least," he said with a chuckle, and grinning, Blaise nodded in agreement.<br/>
"Plus we don't have any books on Saxon history."</p><p>The two went down to the inn's dining room and enjoyed a thick hardy beef stew for dinner, then went back upstairs and ravaged one another for a rather satisfying not to mention filling dessert.  Tumbling together naked and ready on the bed, eagerly taking one another's erections deeply and hungrily into their mouths, they took one another hard to simultaneous satisfaction.  Their passion was particularly intense, fitting to commemorate their last night in Cornwall.</p><p>When they left the next morning, both were a little regretful.</p><p>"Perhaps when we return we'll bring a niffler to search for treasure," Blaise said thoughtfully.<br/>
"For instance, if Merlin and Nimue left anything interesting tucked away in some old caves," he clarified when Gellert gave him a curious look full of raised brows.<br/>
'It's a long shot, I know, but it could be worth a try."<br/>
Gellert nodded thoughtfully.<br/>
"Oh certainly."</p><p>"And as we're definitely not animal people, perhaps a goblin to take care of the damned niffler,"  Blaise added.<br/>
"I think I recall hearing that they get into everything."<br/>
He shuddered at the memories of care of magical creatures class, definitely one of his least favorites at Hogwarts.<br/>
"Sounds good," Gellert agreed with a smile.<br/>
"The goblin could make a cute pet as well."<br/>
Blaise chuckled, knowing how much any goblin would just love that.<br/>
"Definitely the sort of pet that bites," he said with a snicker.</p><p>When they arrived home, Sabra was overjoyed.<br/>
"I missed my babies," she said, hugging them both tightly, one in each arm so that the three were squeezed together in a triangle.  Blaise patted her on the back as Gellert did his best to return the hug while being squished.<br/>
"Missed you too, Mum," Blaise said.<br/>
"Yes," Gellert agreed with what little breath wasn't being squeezed out of him.</p><p>"Welcome back," Geo said, giving them an amused grin from across the room.<br/>
"I'd hug you, but you already look hugged out."<br/>
"Ah he just doesn't like us as much," Gellert told Blaise, expression one of mock disappointment.</p><p>"Oh if you want a hug, I'll give you a hug," Geo said, rising threateningly from his chair.<br/>
Gellert laughed.<br/>
"No, that's quite alright," he said, backing up as Geo approached.<br/>
Though shorter, Geo was far stockier than the more willowy builds of his son and Gellert.<br/>
Laughing, Geo reached for Gellert and crushed him in a bear hug.</p><p>"It really is good to have you both home," he said sincerely and Gellert found himself blushing in pleasure as he hugged the elder Zabini in return.<br/>
No one had ever really cared like the Zabini parents when he'd come home before.  His aunt was kind and friendly, but they really seemed to have missed he and Blaise  while in previous days his absent minded aunt hardly noticed he was gone.<br/>
"Your turn," Geo said, reaching for Blaise with a laugh.  Blaise looked mildly uncomfortable but hugged his dad back hard.<br/>
"Missed you too, Dad," he said.<br/>
"Good," Geo said happily.<br/>
"That means you won't mind spending the entire afternoon telling us all about what you did while you were away."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0086"><h2>86. You Give Me Something Way Beyond Revenue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once back home, Blaise and Gellert realized how much they'd missed it.  The freedom to travel had been wonderful and quite necessary.  It allowed them the complete freedom to explore their relationship on all levels as well as to see the world in all its shades and facets.  It was, in its way, healing for Gellert to experience full freedom and to revisit the world that had changed so much.</p><p>For Blaise, it was about taking his first steps as an independent adult.  He'd been ready to do so for years, but allowed his parents to restrain him, because until Gellert there was nothing better to do. The thrill of exploration and discovery that it provided was a necessity for both.  The wanderlust was a part of who they were and they'd be back at it again eventually for sure.  The relaxed comforts of home were also a part of who they were though, and now it was time for that part to be dominant again, at least until they grew bored and restless.</p><p>During their first several months back in London, the two were frequently sequestered in their room, where they worked on creating enchanted items from the interesting bits they'd picked up on their travels for this very purpose.  The Medusa eye burglar catchers took the longest to craft, and were the most complicated.  As a result, they were also the product both most enjoyed making.  They'd only brought back five of the eyes, and Blaise wanted to keep one to use in the shop itself so they had four to sell.</p><p>Both he and Gellert relished the layering and connecting of several charms to create an entirely new effect.  This was what always kept the prospect of enchanting fresh and new.  Once they'd completed the burglar catchers they moved on to the several chunks of stone they'd managed to...liberate from various Greek and Roman temples.  After enchanting them with properties suitable to the temple each had come from, they planned to sell them as specialized paperweights and book ends with various functions.</p><p>For the two stones from Athena's temple that would serve appropriately as book ends, for example, they imbued them with charms of wisdom, to open and accelerate one's thinking and stimulate the brain centers for creativity.  The chunk of rock from a temple of Poseidon would serve as a paperweight, and they enchanted it to emit the scent of the ocean as well as the sound of crashing waves.  As a finishing touch, images of swimming fish on tossing waves projected just above the stone with occasional sea monsters thrown in for good measure.  Every few minutes, Scylla, Charybdis or the Kraken would come into view among the tossing waves before giving way to the innocently swimming fish once again.</p><p>When Kereston insisted they come out of hiding and have lunch with her, they were ready.  They'd spent months working steadily with few breaks save for forced family time by the parents, meals, and of course necessary spontaneous bouts of shagging.  Both looked forward to getting out of the manor for a bit and socializing.  Kereston suggested they meet up at Gellert's favorite Chinese restaurant, Memories Of China.  He and Blaise had gone there enough with her previously to be comfortable moving within the Muggle area in which it was located.</p><p>They apparated behind the dreaded McDonalds then walked hand in hand down the block to the restaurant.  Though summer was nearly over, it was still rather hot, but having a walk to stretch their legs nearly made the discomfort of the weather worth it.  To their surprise, Kereston didn't come alone.  She waited for them just outside the restaurant with Kreacher at her side.  The elf stood straight,and looked in far better spirits than when Blaise and Gellert had first seen him with Regulus at Hogwarts.  He even looked better than the moderately improved Kreacher they'd seen at the Christmas party.</p><p>His eyes were now clear and an expression of alert interest animated his face.  A rather advanced charm hung over him like a cloud that gave the elf an overlay of a small human man with short black hair and a black suit.  This was the image that Muggles and even less skilled or discerning wizards would see instead of the elf himself.  It obviously gave him the freedom to travel among Muggles without drawing illegal attention from the Ministry.  The work was impressive.<br/>
"I wonder if Bramble can do that," Blaise murmured to Gellert.<br/>
"As do I.  I also wonder if it is a common elf spell or a specialized one of Kreacher's own," Gellert replied.</p><p>"Gelaise," Kereston called in way of greeting, a smile spreading across her face as she waved at their approach.<br/>
"You'll be pleased to know that Kreacher didn't like McDonalds either," she told Gellert with a disappointed frown.<br/>
"Wise man," Gellert told Kreacher fervently, his liking for the elf rising a few more notches.<br/>
Kreacher looked pleased at the compliment, but didn't expound on his own opinions of McDonalds.  He was apparently considering Kereston's feelings on the matter rather than her health, Gellert noted.</p><p>"You must tell us about all the things you've been making," Kereston said eagerly as soon as the four of them were seated.<br/>
Blaise and Gellert obliged as they all looked through their menus.  As could be expected, both Kereston and Kreacher were impressed with their creativity and skill.<br/>
"I bet you've got enough to make you rich just from what you've made so far," Kereston said.<br/>
"Richer," Blaise corrected with a smirk.</p><p>"The more money we make, the larger our next accomplishments, though," Gellert said.<br/>
"Big goals are reached more readily with vast amounts of money."<br/>
"So we plan to keep making it in heaps," Blaise added, a pleased smirk curving his full lips at the thought.<br/>
"When will your shop open," Kereston asked.</p><p>Blaise shrugged.<br/>
"Perhaps in a year.  It gives us plenty of time to stock enough unique items, find a suitable location and decorate it properly."<br/>
"How do you want it to look," Kereston asked.<br/>
"Old I think, with a dark flair and a bit of a subtly dangerous undertone, but other than that, we're still working out the particulars," Blaise said, glancing toward Gellert who nodded.</p><p>"What have the two of you been occupying yourselves with," Gellert asked, as it was the polite thing to do.<br/>
That and he supposed he was mildly curious.<br/>
"Well there is my job at the ministry all during the week, but I usually hang with Kreacher on the weekends and sometimes on the weekdays at lunch," Kereston said.<br/>
It was only then that Blaise realized he actually didn't know what day it was.  With them spending so much time shut up working on crafting their items, all the days tended to blend and become the same.</p><p>"And today is what," Gellert asked, and Blaise was pleased he wasn't the only one.<br/>
"Saturday," Kereston said with a bemused grin.<br/>
"You two must really be working all the time."<br/>
Blaise nodded.<br/>
"It's our thing."<br/>
"Well our other thing," Gellert said giving Blaise a suggestive look just to annoy Kereston...and because it was true.</p><p>Kereston rolled her blue-gray eyes and made a face but before she could comment the waiter came over to take their order.  When he departed, it was Kreacher who spoke next.<br/>
"Kreacher was thinking over the past several months about Blaise Zabini's interest in the attempt to combine elf and wizard magic to enchant items.  Though he appreciates the fact that Blaise Zabini and Gellert Grindelwald wish to make rare and specialized items, Kreacher wonders if they should begin with something simple.  Simple work could make the initial experiment more telling.  We could get more done faster and thus have more immediate results."</p><p>"Good idea," Blaise said, giving the elf an approving nod and a pleased smile.<br/>
"Indeed Kreacher is a wise elf," Gellert agreed.<br/>
"Did you have any ideas of a concept we could start with," the blonde asked curiously.<br/>
Kreacher nodded.<br/>
"Actually Kreacher did.  He was thinking of a pillow that would help people get a proper eight hours of sleep.  It would have none of the side effects of next day grogginess or pre-sleep inability to work complicated magic that sleep potions can have."</p><p>"I'd really like that," Kereston enthused, eyes sparking with eagerness.<br/>
"I often have a time getting to sleep at night on Sunday.  I've had a weekend of sleeping when I like then it's back to the work schedule for the week and that night of transition is always a bother."</p><p>"That's a brilliant idea," Blaise told Kreacher sincerely.<br/>
The elf beamed, ducking his head and appearing suddenly shy.  It caused Blaise to wonder if he'd had many compliments in his life.<br/>
"Does Blaise Zabini truly think so," he asked and Blaise nodded.<br/>
"So does Gellert," Gellert said with a grin.<br/>
"If those are fast and easy to make as you suggest, they will sell like...as they say, hotcakes."<br/>
"When would you like to begin working on our first draft," Blaise asked the elf.</p><p>He was actually eager to get started.  The idea was a good one and he looked very forward to combining elf and human magics to discover what results such could bring.<br/>
"Kreacher is free any time during the day," Kreacher replied.<br/>
"Whenever Blaise Zabini and Gellert Grindelwald would like, he is available as long as it is before sunset. After that Kreacher's time belongs to Master Regulus."<br/>
At his own mention of the vampire's name, Kreacher's round blue eyes practically shone and his face lit up.</p><p>"Of course we would never get in the way of that," Gellert said with an understanding smile.<br/>
"If today is Saturday, how does Monday sound?"<br/>
Kreacher nodded.<br/>
"Shall Kreacher come to the Zabini Manor, then?"<br/>
Blaise nodded.<br/>
"Unless you wish us to come to Grimmauld instead."<br/>
Kreacher considered.<br/>
"That would allow him to remain close to Master Regulus.  If Blaise Zabini and Gellert Grindelwald would not mind..."<br/>
"It's fine," Gellert assured.<br/>
"It gives us an opportunity to stretch our legs a bit.  We've sat quite a lot over the past several months that we've been back home."</p><p> </p><p>"We'll even bring the practice pillows," Blaise offered expansively.<br/>
The elf smiled.<br/>
"And Kreacher will provide lunch."<br/>
"Did you make that overlay that you're wearing," Gellert asked and Kreacher nodded.<br/>
"It is very well done," Blaise complimented and Kreacher beamed again, basking in the praise.<br/>
"It was something Kreacher put together when he and Kereston began to venture out," he explained.</p><p>Their food arrived then, and the rest of lunch passed quickly with light conversation, mostly related to Chinese food.  As they left the restaurant, Blaise thanked Kereston for bringing Kreacher along.  Even if she'd just intended to be social, Blaise had a feeling that the meeting would make he, Gellert and Kreacher all a great deal of money.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0087"><h2>87. Work and Play</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When they got back home, Gellert sought out Bramble right away.  He needed to satisfy his curiosity concerning elf illusions.  When Bramble wasn't in the parlor or the library, he decided to check the kitchen rather than simply calling the elf to him for fear of interrupting his work.  Bramble never directly said much but he had a frown as well as a resentful look that could curdle milk or at least Gellert's own blood.</p><p>With Blaise trailing along behind him, the blonde ventured into the kitchen, poking his head around the door at first then continuing inside upon seeing the elf was there.  Bramble stood at a sideboard slicing vegetables, seemingly with a mere glance.  His eyes were the only things touching the cucumbers and onions and there were no knives in sight.</p><p>"I wonder if I could ask you a question about elf magic when you aren't busy, Bramble," Gellert asked.<br/>
Blaise kept his expression bland with an effort when he was internally struggling not to smile.  The fact Gellert Grindelwald could defer to anyone, including Bramble, was so incongruous that it amused him and baffled him all at once.</p><p>Bramble turned away from the vegetables, a slight look of surprise on his face before a mild frown took its place.<br/>
"Bramble can answer Gellert's question now if it doesn't take very long."<br/>
"Kreacher came along with Kereston today, and as we were in a Muggle area, he had an illusion of a small human man over himself so that he could fit in.  It was very well done and unlike anything I've ever seen.  I wondered if it is a talent specific to him or if any elf can do it."</p><p>"Bramble never has before.  He's never had cause.  So he does not know."<br/>
"Would you try," Gellert asked.<br/>
"I'm curious."<br/>
Bramble frowned.<br/>
"Tell Bramble how it looked to Gellert."</p><p> </p><p>"The word that came to mind was an overlay.  It was like the illusion of the small man with short black hair and a lack suit was placed smoothly over Kreacher.  He was under it but I could see both.  I have a feeling not all wizards could, though, and certainly not Muggles.  I feel he has very strong magic that could fool all but the most accomplished or discerning of wizards.  All of those in our little circle could surely see through it, but there are enough wizards who would only see whatever Kreacher wished them to see."</p><p>"A small man with short dark hair and a dark suit," Bramble repeated slowly, and Gellert nodded.<br/>
"But if another form is more comfortable for you, I suggest you apply it instead.  It is my belief that the mind will accept what it is most at ease with when crafting such an illusion."<br/>
"Bramble isn't at ease with any of it truly, as it is nothing he has ever considered," the elf said.<br/>
"He will try, though."<br/>
"Thank you," Gellert said, giving the elf an appreciative smile.</p><p>In around ten seconds, a dark cloud seemed to hang over Bramble that quickly took on a thicker denser quality.  A head formed first, shapeless but with short dark hair.  When the face took on a more defined shape it did not exactly look natural.  It reminded Gellert instead of something an unskilled or drunk sculptor could form out of clay.  When it eventually smoothed out and improved into something more realistic, the expression was still stilted and unnatural.  It's wide eyes and slightly gaping mouth didn't match Bramble's own thoughtful frown.</p><p>The expression on Kreacher's human overlay had always matched the expression of the elf who hid under it.  Gellert made a mental note to ask him tomorrow how hard he had to practice in order to achieve this.  It would indicate how difficult the process was for him as compared to Bramble and thus if the talent was a natural one for Kreacher.  As he and Blaise watched, a body formed over Bramble's, slightly taller and in a black suit and black shoes that looked too clunky and wide.</p><p>"Will you move your arms or walk around," Gellert requested.<br/>
"I would like to see if it is more difficult to control the illusion when you are moving."<br/>
The elf nodded, and the human head over his did so as well, but the movement was more jerky and unnatural. When he lifted an arm, the arm of the illusion was delayed by a second or two as it followed.<br/>
"You are having to intentionally move the illusion to keep it with you," he asked.<br/>
"Sometimes," Bramble said with a frown.<br/>
"The nod was more natural, but when the arm didn't follow properly Bramble had to push it."</p><p>"Kreacher's human illusion seemed to settle over him somewhat like a blanket so it appeared to naturally move with him.  I will question him on that tomorrow though.  Thank you very much, Bramble.  I appreciate your help in my exploration of elf magic.  I am guessing that as we wizards can have our specialized talents, that elves may as well.  You freed me from Nurmengard, so I believe you are more powerful than most.  Therefore it was surprising that this illusion didn't work perfectly for you.  I am obviously still learning to understand elf magic, though."</p><p>Bramble shrugged.<br/>
"It doesn't bother Bramble if illusion isn't a skill at which he shall easily excel.  He has little use for it."<br/>
"Have you been around many other elves to observe their magic? To know if some are better at specific branches of magic than others," Gellert asked.<br/>
"Not truly," Bramble said.<br/>
"The one elf he has seen the most lives in the home of Master Blaise's Italian grandparents.  He does not appear to excel at making his home shine but Bramble would dare to speculate that this is due to being over fed and lazy rather than a true lack of skill," the elf said.</p><p>Though his tone was calm and reserved it was also most definitely scathing.  Gellert chuckled.<br/>
"Oh he seemed a jolly little thing," he commented mildly and Bramble's frown deepened.<br/>
"Get out of Bramble's kitchen, both of you.  He has a soup to finish."<br/>
"Yes Sir," Gellert said and with a slight bow, caught Blaise's hand and hurried out.<br/>
They went directly upstairs.  Once in their room, the two discovered they were more interested in working post lunch enchantments on one another than any items for their future shop.</p><p>They lingered over long kisses and tantalizing touches even before removing all their clothes.  Like the lunch they'd just had, the mood of this particular physical encounter wanted to be savored.  They took their time, lying on the bed entwined together, mouths and hands exploring, allowing the clothes to remain a brief barrier while their passion slowly built until it became a pressure on their bodies and minds that had to be released.  It occurred to Blaise that while they were working so hard on enchanted items over the past several months, they hadn't been as thorough with their sex life.  Oh they shagged plenty, but so tired were they when they finally got around to it, or at times even distracted, that it was a mere necessary release for their bodies.  While utterly satisfying for both, it usually didn't take long.  In essence their work sex wasn't as involved as the play sex they'd had During Blaise's time at Hogwarts or afterward on their nearly two year long vacation traveling the world.</p><p>"We need to take more time for this," Blaise murmured, lavishing feather light kisses over Gellert's mouth.  How long had it been that he'd actually had the time and focus to note how enticingly soft the German's lips were.<br/>
"At least every few weeks, we need to make ourselves take a break.  A weekend off or something," he concluded, breath catching in pleasure as Gellert's hands ran over his chest.  That felt so very good.<br/>
"You are a wise man," Gellert said.<br/>
Shifting, he draped himself across Blaise as he deepened their kiss.  Moaning as his need swelled, Blaise arched against him, wishing he could vanish their clothes off in a second.  Instead, they had to momentarily part to divest themselves of cumbersome garments that prevented the oh so necessary skin to skin contact.</p><p>When Gellert's naked body was at last draped over his own, Blaise gave a sigh of pure bliss as he ran his hands over the other wizard's toned lithe form.  He relished the feel of Gellert's lips trailing over his shoulder, and the tantalizing brush of the blonde's soft hair as he raised up to claim Blaise's mouth in a sensual kiss.<br/>
"I love the way you touch me," Gellert murmured thickly against Blaise's mouth.<br/>
"Good," Blaise replied.</p><p>Kissing Gellert again he slipped one finger inside of the Blonde's tight warmth, carefully searching out the gland and lightly massaging it as their tongues tangled.  Gellert let out a low growl of desire and reached for the cream on the bedside table.  Blaise watched in open anticipation as Gellert coated his erection and gently slid inside of him.  With his first thrust, Blaise let out a low cry of pleasure and drove his finger deeper into Gellert at the same time.  Their sounds of pleasure rose and blended as they moved rhythmically together to their completion.</p><p>When they were both spent, Gellert lay across Blaise, his entire body awash in satisfaction.<br/>
"Gods that was good.  We have got to take every weekend off."<br/>
Blaise nodded.<br/>
"It's Saturday, so that means we have the rest of today and all of tomorrow," he observed.<br/>
"And we won't work on a thing but one another until Monday"<br/>
Gellert chuckled.<br/>
"Agreed."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0088"><h2>88. Darkness walks amongst us</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The family was just finishing up with breakfast when a knock came at the front door.  With an expression of mild surprise, Bramble rose to answer it.<br/>"Is anyone expecting company," Geo asked with raised brows as he glanced around at everyone else.<br/>Blaise, Gellert, and Sabra all shook their heads.  When Bramble returned seconds later, the elf looked bemused.<br/>"Kreacher is here to see Blaise and Gellert.  Bramble took the liberty of showing him into the library."</p><p>Blaise nodded.<br/>
"Thank you, Bramble.  Would you bring coffee for three into the library when you are able?"<br/>
The elf nodded.  Blaise and Gellert rose from their chairs at the breakfast table and headed into the library, both silently wondering what had brought Kreacher out to see them.  Blaise hoped he hadn't changed his mind about working with them on crafting enchanted items.  He'd really looked forward to seeing how human and elf magic combined and Kreacher had some very good ideas that were definitely sellable.</p><p>"Don't tell me you've changed your mind about working with us," Blaise said as soon as he and Gellert joined Kreacher in the library.<br/>
The elf was sitting in one of the comfortable high backed chairs that peppered the room, studying the spines of the books on the shelf nearest him.<br/>
"Oh no.  Kreacher still plans to work with Blaise Zabini and Gellert Grindelwald," he quickly assured.<br/>
"Good," Blaise said with a relieved sigh as he and Gellert seated themselves near the elf.<br/>
"You can just call us Blaise and Gellert," Gellert said with a grin.<br/>
"It saves time."</p><p>Kreacher nodded.<br/>
"Very well.  Kreacher came to tell Blaise and Gellert that he is not living at Grimmauld Place so they should not come there tomorrow.  He did not wish to give his new address in a public setting...just in case.  Kreacher has Master Regulus's safety to consider, after all," the elf explained.</p><p>"Kreacher told Kereston that he would come and give Blaise and Gellert the proper address before Monday.  Master Regulus fears that the ministry will not forgive him his crimes, so he has decided to give up the family home rather than risk being discovered," Kreacher said, expression momentarily quivery with upset.<br/>
It was clear that he didn't agree with Regulus's choice and wanted his home back.  As if his expression hadn't made that plain as day, the elf added half under his breath, "Kreacher can't believe his Darling Master Regulus has chosen to let the family home fall to blood traitors who loved Sirius Black."</p><p>Gellert's lips twisted briefly upward in dry amusement.<br/>
"If it makes you feel better, when great wizards pretend to be dead, or have committed what lesser minds consider to be heinous crimes, they have to make adjustments.  I, for example, must pretend to be my own son whenever the time comes for me to require official documentation."<br/>
He chuckled.<br/>
"At least I got my dear old dad's amazingly good looks and brilliant brain."</p><p>"He had fan girls coming to hit that in Nurmengard," Blaise said with a grin.<br/>
Gellert grinned back.<br/>
"Damn right!"<br/>
Blaise frowned, taken briefly aback.<br/>
"Really?"<br/>
Gellert laughed, tossing back his hair and pushing a hand against Blaise's shoulder.<br/>
"Of bloody course not!  They wouldn't even give me a bloody newspaper for fear I could turn it into a broom to ride out on!"</p><p>Kreacher cleared his throat.<br/>
"Kreacher thought we were talking about Kreacher," he chided almost gently.<br/>
"Oh right," Gellert said, with an unabashed grin at the elf.<br/>
"So what's your new address, and is it still alright for us to meet you there tomorrow morning," Blaise asked.<br/>
"That's just it," Kreacher said carefully.<br/>
"Kereston says that Blaise and Gellert can be trusted...so Kreacher asks that they tell no one.  He supposes Mr. and Mrs. Zabini are safe if they promise to keep it a secret, because Kreacher is aware they have their own secrets in way of seven dead bodies that do not exist..."</p><p>Blaise and Gellert exchanged a glance.  This was getting interesting!<br/>
"Of course.  We nor the parents will breathe a word.  We all have our secrets," Gellert agreed.<br/>
"Well then...Master Regulus and Kreacher are staying at Raven's Nest on the edge of London.  This is the Lestrange family manor."<br/>
"Interesting," Blaise said.<br/>
"Can you give us directions and an exact address?  I've never heard of the place."</p><p>Kreacher nodded.<br/>
"If Kreacher could have quill and parchment," the elf requested.<br/>
Gellert rose and went to the desk in the far corner of the library to supply the items.  Once presented with them, Kreacher wrote the address to Raven's Nest manor along with a few lines of concise directions in a precise, neat hand.  When he was finished, he handed the parchment to Blaise.<br/>
"Thank you.  We'll be there some time before lunch if that's alright."</p><p>Kreacher nodded.<br/>
"That is fine.  Kreacher doesn't have too much to fill his days when he isn't spending time with Kereston.  He keeps the manor clean, but that isn't difficult.  He will be glad of something to do with himself, and Master Regulus was extremely proud that you asked Kreacher to work with you."<br/>
"Well we're excited," Blaise said sincerely as Kreacher rose to take his leave.</p><p>Blaise and Gellert arrived at Raven's Nest manor around ten the next morning.  To their surprise it wasn't Kreacher who opened the door to them.  It wasn't even an elf.  It was a tall thin woman with somewhat gaunt features and long wild black curls.<br/>
"Get inside quick," she said, stepping back and flinging the door wide.<br/>
They acquiesced, stepping quickly inside which allowed her to hastily shut the door behind them.  Blaise had seen her face before...a few times in the newspaper.</p><p>"Bellatrix Lestrange?"<br/>
She nodded, giving a mad grin that was full of silent laughter.<br/>
"Who else has this hair, I ask you," she demanded, tossing her wild locks over one shoulder.<br/>
"Mine is better," Gellert said, giving his own blonde locks a flip and Bellatrix smirked, rolling her eyes.<br/>
"Isn't anyone bloody dead," Blaise asked, mind struggling to process.<br/>
"I am quite certain that Sirius Black is extremely dead," Bellatrix said firmly, expression most definitely self satisfied as she made this proclamation.</p><p>"May his foul soul writhe in eternal spiritual torment," Kreacher said from behind Bellatrix.<br/>
"Kreacher sees that Blaise and Gellert have met Miss Bella," the elf observed.<br/>
"I'm late for work, but I had to stay around long enough to meet Gellert Grindelwald," Bellatrix said.<br/>
"If you're ever ready to take on the filthy Muggles again, count the Lestranges in."<br/>
"That's right."<br/>
The man who'd chimed in had just approached their little group where they stood in the entry hall.  He was taller than Bellatrix with short black hair, a strong jaw and wide shoulders that had obviously supported a muscular frame once.</p><p>Those muscles had given way to poor nutrition, though and he was relatively thin.  The man who stood beside him had similar features, but was slighter of build and younger with a mildly harder look in his green eyes.<br/>
"That's my husband, Roddy and the runt there is our little brother Rabastan," Bellatrix said in way of a casual introduction.</p><p>"Nice to meet you," Gellert said, unfazed by the entire affair while Blaise was still trying to sort out how Bellatrix was alive and how all the Lestranges were out of bloody Azkaban.<br/>
"While the offer is kind, I am nothing like your dark lord was," Gellert told the Lestranges with a slight inclination of his head.<br/>
"Good," Bellatrix said, then swept out the front door without another word, the two men following behind.<br/>
Once they were outside, the sound of three popping sounds indicated all three had just apparated away to...somewhere.</p><p>"You must explain if I am to concentrate on work at all today," Blaise told Kreacher.<br/>
"Powerful wizards simply do not die easily," Kreacher replied.<br/>
"The Lestranges were captured during the battle of Hogwarts by Ministry officials who recruit for something called Black Ops."<br/>
Kreacher chuckled.<br/>
"Considering Miss Bella used to be a Black it seems fitting to Kreacher, it does."</p><p>"But the papers said Molly Weasley killed her, difficult as that is to grasp," Blaise said, arching his brows.<br/>
Molly Weasley wasn't particularly one that you'd consider an impressive duelist.<br/>
"During that fight, Miss Bella was hit with a stunner from behind which caused her to fall.  The official that knocked her out then proceeded to shout about how Molly Weasley had saved the day, so everyone believed it including Molly Weasley herself, who was indeed trying to kill Miss Bella."</p><p>"I see," Blaise said, nodding.<br/>
That made more sense he supposed.<br/>
"But why does the Ministry trust the Lestranges enough to hire them for Black Ops work?  I mean they're the Lestranges."<br/>
"They are good at what they do and the Ministry didn't have anyone better...In fact everyone they had was far worse.  They did finally try to set their own black Ops on Voldemort's trail, but they couldn't find him much less bring him in.  They at last were forced to open their eyes and finally understood what sorts of people they needed working for them," Kreacher explained.</p><p>"Yes, but that doesn't explain the trust factor," Blaise said.<br/>
"Why does the Ministry trust the Lestranges not to run away at the very least."<br/>
"The Ministry has made the Lestranges take unbreakable vows.  They have also promised to Pardon them for their crimes if they work them off for forty years.  They merely have to do so in disguise or unseen.  The world believes the two men to still be in Azkaban and Miss Bella dead."</p><p>Blaise gave a dry chuckle.<br/>
"I'm sure they bloody do.  If general society knew the Lestranges were out, they'd soil themselves repeatedly on a daily basis."<br/>
Indeed the concept was a bit unsettling even for him were he honest.<br/>
"Are they truly that bad," Gellert asked, expression doubtful and a bit amused.<br/>
"They seemed relatively harmless even if they didn't recover from their stay in prison as well as I did."</p><p>"They tortured the Longbottoms for information until their minds broke so badly that they can no longer function," Blaise said with a shrug.<br/>
That didn't bother him in itself.  If Neville Longbottom served as any sort of example for the worth of his family tree, the Lestranges really hadn't wasted any great wizarding potential.  Just the lack of control such demonstrated made the overly controlled Blaise a bit uneasy.  Well before Gellert he'd been overly controlled.  Now, only sometimes, he noted with dry amusement at himself.</p><p>"Who are the Longbottoms,"  Gellert asked casually.<br/>
"Are they relevant?"<br/>
Blaise shrugged again.<br/>
"Not truly.  It's just the lack of control in the act that sort of bothers me."<br/>
Gellert nodded, understanding the rational in that.<br/>
"It wasn't like them truly," Kreacher muttered.<br/>
"They were always good to Kreacher, especially after Master Regulus..."<br/>
The elf trailed off, face crumpling as his long fingered hands twisted at the long black tunic he now wore.</p><p>Memories of the past were obviously getting to him, and that was a thing Gellert understood well even if he didn't have as much trouble with that of late.<br/>
"Kreacher needs to check on Master Regulus's sleep...Just to assure himself.  The library is down the hall and two doors to the right.  We will work in there today, Kreacher thinks," the elf said, gesturing them in that direction as he turned down another hallway and apparated to another part of the manor with a crack.</p><p>Blaise and Gellert shrugged nearly as one and headed in the direction Kreacher had indicated, finding the library with no problem.  Every wizard loved to get a look at another's library, especially if the family was a worthy and respectable one.  There was always the hope for discovering rare and interesting books that one could then beg to borrow.  The two busied themselves perusing the shelves until Kreacher joined them in under five minutes.  In truth neither man would've minded in the least if he'd taken longer.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0089"><h2>89. We Gettin' Money</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"We brought pillows," Blaise told Kreacher.<br/>"Bramble picked them up yesterday while doing the weekly shopping.  We have six so if we ruin a few in the attempt we still have plenty to get it right.  I figure we'll decide how much to sell them for depending on how difficult they are to make."</p><p>Kreacher nodded his agreement, and gestured to the square oak reading table in the center of the room.<br/>
"Kreacher thinks we can sit there, then the pillow we are working on can be in the center of the table where we all have easy access."<br/>
The elf frowned.<br/>
"Were we at Grimmauld Place, Kreacher would have us working in the kitchen.  It is very large with a perfect table with plenty of room to move."<br/>
The elf's tone and voice held obvious resentment for Regulus's choice that had them here rather than in their own home.</p><p>"Perhaps the two of you shall have your own place soon," Blaise suggested and Kreacher brightened a little at that thought.<br/>
"Kreacher likes that idea.  Kreacher enjoys being here, he supposes.  He has missed Miss Bella and Mr. Rod and Mr. Rabastan, but he misses having his own home with Master Regulus."</p><p>They moved to the reading table and settled themselves into three of the four comfortable chairs that surrounded it.  Blaise produced one of the pillows from the bag he'd brought along, placing it in the center of the table.  Kreacher looked it over and prodded it with a finger then gave a nod of approval.<br/>
"The pillow appears comfortable and of good quality.  Bramble chose well."</p><p>Gellert smiled.<br/>
"He is a talented elf."<br/>
"How does the enchantment process work for Blaise and Gellert," Kreacher asked.<br/>
"Somewhat differently for each item, depending on the sort of enchantment we're placing in it.  The way we layer or connect the various charms can differ," Blaise explained and Kreacher nodded.<br/>
"As Kreacher expected."</p><p>"Did you have ideas of how to start," Blaise asked the elf, gesturing at the pillow.<br/>
It was Kreacher's idea after all.<br/>
"Kreacher has a few, but he'd prefer to see what Blaise would do first, then he can add to it.  He has never enchanted anything with a wizard, not even Master Regulus, so he feels he will do better if he has something to work off of first.  It will give him a feel for the direction of the magic."</p><p>Blaise nodded and drew the pillow toward him.<br/>
"I feel the charms should be placed or rather layered quite deeply into the fabric of the pillow so that it runs throughout the entire thing, stuffing and all.  First I will layer the number of hours like a clock I think."<br/>
As he spoke, Blaise drew his smoky quartz wand from a pocket in his black slacks.  Gellert and Kreacher watched as an image of a clock with eight hours embedded more firmly than the other four hours that made up the twelve hours on the clock appeared over the pillow.  Blaise flicked his wand from the image to the pillow and the clock sank into it.</p><p>He repeated the process twice more before he was satisfied that it had sunk through every layer of fabric in the pillow.  He then pushed it toward Kreacher, interested to see what the elf would add.  Kreacher leaned forward, lower lip between his teeth as he thought.  A shimmer of magic hung over the pillow, and only two thirds sank into it with one layer remaining on the pillow's surface.<br/>
"This connects the sleeper's mind to the pillow when their head touches it," Kreacher explained.<br/>
"The final layer remains on the surface because the head of the sleeper touches that part."<br/>
"Brilliant," Blaise said, gaze mesmerized by the way elf and wizard magic looked when blended.</p><p>The untrained eye, meaning the eye of any wizard who wasn't an enchanter, wouldn't notice, but Blaise could see the two different forms of magic like intricate patterns.  Gellert reached for the pillow and covered it in a gray warding shield.  Like Kreacher's two thirds of it sank into the pillow leaving the final layer on the pillow's surface.</p><p>"A ward to keep the sleeper from being disturbed," he explained.<br/>
Due to the fact disturbances could come from the outside, the final layer remained on the pillow's surface.  Kreacher reached for the pillow again and worked some form of magic that surrounded the pillow in a soothing blue light that sank completely into the fabric.<br/>
"A sleep charm," Kreacher explained.<br/>
"Elves can do sleep charms," Gellert asked, and at once felt like an idiot.<br/>
Obviously they could because Kreacher just had.</p><p>"Yes.  Wizards must rely on potions for sleep aid but not elves," Kreacher said.<br/>
"It is a gentle touch on the part of the brain that governs sleep.  Kreacher must admit to using that on Master Sirius when he was a baby.  He was a horrid little thing and screamed all the time.  Kreacher was young and perhaps impatient, but Master Sirius could test the patience of the kindest saint, Kreacher swears it!"</p><p>Reaching for the pillow again, Blaise worked a connecting charm that linked everything they'd done to the pillow to everything else.  That completed the process and their first sleep pillow was done!  The entire process to make the first pillow took around three hours.  When they moved to the second pillow, their progress was a little faster.  They finished it in two and a half hours.  Kreacher suggested they break for a late lunch then, and led them into the dining room.<br/>
"Kreacher made a stew last night and there is plenty left," he said.</p><p>"Thank you," Blaise told him, and with a shy smile the elf hurried away.  He returned soon with three bowls of stew and three warm wedges of bread that was packed with seeds and nuts.  It was most definitely the best bread Blaise ever had.  From the way Gellert devoured his, Blaise could tell he enjoyed it as much.<br/>
"Kreacher is a very good cook," the blonde said when they'd all finished eating.<br/>
"Kreacher thanks Gellert.  He is glad he and Blaise enjoyed lunch."</p><p>Kreacher cleared the table and the three returned to the library.  They made their next pillow in an hour!  It seemed the more they worked the charms the faster the process got.  An hour seemed to be the final speed for producing one pillow, though, because the final two weren't finished any faster.  Considering the complexity of the magic involved, Blaise was pleased, feeling an hour was reasonable.<br/>
"These we could make a lot of," he said.<br/>
"They could be a shop staple.  Something we always carry along with our more rare items.  We'll price them between expensive and affordable.  This will mean a lot will sell so we'll make a lot of money."</p><p>"Something more basic and useful like these pillows will bring more people into the shop as well, making them aware of it," Kreacher added.<br/>
Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Those who buy them are sure to tell their friends as well.  I think we should have a lot of these made up before the shop opens.  We'll give Kereston one to try tonight and see what she thinks," he suggested.</p><p>Blaise and Kreacher nodded.<br/>
"We can meet tomorrow to make more," Kreacher suggested.<br/>
"He will contribute to the pillow supply too.  While Master Regulus feeds this evening, Kreacher will go and buy more."<br/>
"That sounds great," Blaise said, giving the elf a smile.<br/>
"Thank you for working with us, Kreacher.  It's been truly fascinating, and I've enjoyed it immensely."<br/>
Gellert nodded.<br/>
"Same.  And that bread was amazing," he added with a grin.<br/>
"You're going to make a brilliant business partner...I feel it way deep down in my bank account."</p><p>The elf smiled.<br/>
"Kreacher is glad.  Kreacher enjoyed it as well, and he will enjoy the opportunity to add to the Black family fortune with his earnings."<br/>
"Won't you get to keep the money for yourself," Blaise asked, surprised.<br/>
He wasn't sure how he felt about that, but it wasn't his business.<br/>
"Oh yes," Kreacher assured.<br/>
"Master Regulus has put Kreacher's name on the Gringott's account.  He was always allowed to use it for necessities, but now, he can do anything he likes.  Of course Master Regulus always intended this, only he left before he had legal rights the first time," he said, gaze dropping.</p><p>"Speaking of Regulus, we should go now so that you'll be free when he wakes," Blaise told the elf, and Kreacher gave him a grateful smile.<br/>
Still pleasantly wired from the magic they'd used all day, Blaise and Gellert decided to visit Knockturn alley to look into empty buildings for sale or rent for their shop.  As it happened, there were three available.  One was very small, and one was larger with two stories.</p><p>The third was more medium sized and their favorite.  It was a sprawling stone building with one story but several rooms.  It was completely empty which allowed them to shape it to their specifications.  They liked it so much that they decided to buy it on the spot.  There was a note on the door with the address of the owner for interested buyers to contact so they went home and wrote right away.  Within an hour they had a reply with the owner promising to meet them at Gringotts at nine the next morning.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0090"><h2>90. Just another opinion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"We just bought a building for our shop!"<br/>Blaise gave Kreacher the exciting news as soon as the elf opened the door to Raven's Nest manor at nearly ten the next morning.<br/>"It turns out it's rather quick and painless buying a building."<br/>"At least when you're as rich as we are," Gellert said with a smirk.<br/>The last building he'd owned, Nurmengard, he'd had built from the ground up.  Granted there were far more specifications that needed to be met for it, but the buying thing was gratifyingly faster.</p><p>Kreacher's face lit up.<br/>
"That is fantastic news!  Kreacher didn't know Blaise and Gellert were ready to buy the building already."<br/>
Blaise smiled as he and Gellert followed the elf inside.</p><p>"We weren't planning to, but we were so jazzed up after working with you yesterday that it just felt like the right thing to do.  We were sort of taking our time with the whole thing, but we've got a lot of items made up and with those artifacts we picked up on our travels as well as the pillows we're making with you, it seems we have enough inventory."</p><p>"Speaking of the pillows, Kereston tried one out last night and said it worked perfectly.  She remained asleep for the entire eight hours and said that she woke refreshed!  Master Regulus was so proud of Kreacher for having the idea and for his work with Blaise and Gellert!"<br/>
The elf seemed as pleased by Regulus's pride in him as he was about the pillow actually working.<br/>
"Kreacher only wishes Master Regulus would pursue an interest of his own.  He is the most brilliant wizard Kreacher has ever known and he is doing nothing with it."</p><p>The elf sighed as he opened the door to the library where they'd worked yesterday.<br/>
"Why is he doing nothing with it," Gellert asked, curious.<br/>
"Kreacher doesn't know  Kreacher believes perhaps he's too depressed.  Though one would think that being with Kreacher again would make him happy."<br/>
"He seems happy when he's with you," Blaise said."Kreacher supposes he is...but he can fall into moods...Somber moods where he basically blames himself for every dreadful thing that has ever happened in the world."</p><p>Blaise and Gellert exchanged an uncomfortable glance, neither certain of what to say.  Neither particularly got into the comforting others bit.<br/>
"What would he have been doing if he never left," Gellert asked.<br/>
Kreacher shrugged as the three of them settled down at the reading table.<br/>
"Kreacher and Master Regulus were planning to travel, but after that we hadn't decided."<br/>
"We did that, and it was brilliant.  The two of you should go...See the world, you'd love it," Blaise encouraged.<br/>
"Perhaps that experience will help Regulus find himself again."</p><p>To their relief, Kreacher brightened.<br/>
"Kreacher likes that.  He thinks he will suggest it to Master Regulus this very night."<br/>
The three were able to get to work then.  Kreacher supplied four more pillows, and in a little over four hours, they were all completed.  Aside from Kereston's pillow they now had six to sell.<br/>
"We'll bring four more tomorrow, and see how they all sell before making more," Blaise suggested and Kreacher nodded.</p><p>The elf insisted on giving them lunch before they left.  Today, instead of soup, there was a delicious salad along with a wonderfully flavored chicken sandwich on the bread they'd enjoyed so much the day before.<br/>
"That was wonderful, Kreacher," Blaise said warmly.<br/>
"It really was," Gellert agreed after swallowing his last mouthful.<br/>
The elf beamed.<br/>
"Kreacher is glad that Blaise and Gellert enjoyed it."</p><p>When the two got back home, Bramble presented them with a letter.<br/>
"It arrived, addressed to the both of you just half an hour ago," he said.<br/>
Blaise took it from the elf's hand, carefully unrolling the sheet of parchment.<br/>
"It's from Parvati.  She invites us to meet her at the Hog's Head for a drink at five."<br/>
"That's in two hours," Bramble pointed out helpfully.</p><p>Blaise nodded.<br/>
"Thank you.  We'll just go up stairs and get ready."<br/>
Once they were in their bedroom, though, Blaise didn't head for the shower as he stripped off his clothes.  Instead he moved to stand beside the bed, dropping his garments in a pile beside him.  He already had a nearly painful erection just from the thought of what he planned to do to Gellert, so when the blonde knelt and drew it into his mouth, he felt his eyes rolling back in pleasure.<br/>
"Gods, Gellert.  I love you."<br/>
In answer, Gellert drew on Blaise even more deeply swirling his tongue around the shaft in a way that had Zabini gasping.<br/>
His hips pumped, and his hands tangled loosely in Gellert's soft curls.  Within seconds he was shouting his release and spilling into Gellert's mouth.</p><p>When Gellert rose to his feet, Blaise scooped him into his arms and brought them both to the bed.  Undressing Gellert, he kissed and caressed the blonde's slender body.  His tongue darted over Gellert's hole as one hand worked his erection.  When Gellert was groaning and writhing with need, Blaise drew him ever so slowly into his mouth.  He worked him with slow deliberate motions until Gellert was breathing raggedly in his need for completion.  When he at last spilled into Blaise's mouth it was with a shout of satisfaction.</p><p>In the shower, the two washed one another with slow languorous motions as they basked in their afterglow.  Afternoon sex after a long day of work was quite satisfying and also served to energize them for their evening out.  Both dressed in black slacks and matching black button down shirts topped off by their long black dusters.<br/>
"I hate it when the two of you dress in exactly matching outfits," Sabra complained.<br/>
"We love you, Mum," Gellert told her with a laughing wink as they apparated out.</p><p>Blaise side apparated with Gellert to the Hog's Head, because the blonde had never been there before so wouldn't know where it was.  Though it was a little before five, the place was already crowded for happy hour.<br/>
"Blaise!  Gellert!  Over here!"<br/>
Parvati's voice came from a table in the corner.<br/>
The two walked over to see she already had three drinks waiting for them.<br/>
"I got us all a hard butter beer," she said, waving a hand at the three bottles sitting in the center of the table.<br/>
"I figured I should buy the first round as I asked you to meet up."</p><p>"Spoken like a true lady," Gellert said, flashing her a grin as he took a seat across from her.  Blaise settled into the chair beside him, reaching for one of the bottles.<br/>
"Yeah, thanks," he told Parvati, opening it with a pop.<br/>
"There he goes, opening my bottle like a true gentleman," Parvati observed, reaching to snatch it from his hand before he could take a drink.<br/>
"Sure thing...I was doing that," Blaise drawled and Parvati laughed, pushing one of the other bottles toward him.</p><p>"Really.  You can keep that one," Parvati promised.<br/>
Blaise opened the bottle as Gellert opened his own.<br/>
"To friends meeting up after far too long," Parvati said, raising her bottle for a toast.<br/>
The two clinked bottles with her before drinking.<br/>
"It's just we've been working steadily since we got home," Blaise told her.<br/>
"I know.  Kereston said," she nodded.<br/>
"I don't take it personally.  Well I did until she said she had to invite you two out for lunch, then I understood how it works.  You only ignore friends until they initiate then you're responsive."</p><p>Gellert chuckled.<br/>
"That sounds dirty."<br/>
Blaise dropped a hand to the blonde's thigh and Gellert leaned into his shoulder.<br/>
"We're opening our shop soon...or at least relatively soon.  We've just bought a building for it," Blaise explained.<br/>
"We just need to get it furnished and decorated."<br/>
"Do you know how you want it to look," Parvati asked.<br/>
"We've not really had time to think about it yet," Blaise said and Gellert nodded.<br/>
"It's the next step though, now that we have a building to work with."</p><p>"Do you need any help," Parvati asked.<br/>
"I'm sort of at loose ends right now.  I don't really know what I want to do.  My sister's working in the same department as Kereston but I don't think I'd be happy in any department I need to do something else."<br/>
"You're offering to help get the shop ready," Blaise asked and she nodded.</p><p>"What about after?  Would you consider working behind the counter?  I'm sure we'll be making things most of the time, so dealing with customers will just be an unwanted distraction."<br/>
Parvati's eyes brightened.<br/>
"That would be great.  Quite interesting I think.  I'll need to learn a bit about what you're selling, of course, in case customers have questions."</p><p>"Oh sure.  We'll tell you about things as we unpack and arrange them," Blaise said.<br/>
"If the customer still isn't sure, just smile and bat your eyes a lot," Gellert advised and Parvati moved as if to dump the remainder of her butter beer on the blonde's head.<br/>
Laughing, Gellert threw up a shield of the sort that wizards used to keep dry from the rain.<br/>
"I wasn't going to," Parvati told him.</p><p>"Aberforth!  We need another bottle of whisky over here.  Mortimer is still sober!"<br/>
The call came from a large table of Aurors in the center of the room.<br/>
Gellert stiffened.<br/>
"Aberforth?"<br/>
Shit. Blaise had completely forgotten that Gellert didn't like him.  Completely bloody forgotten!<br/>
"Yes, he's headmaster Dumbledore's brother, though they're nothing alike," Parvati said.</p><p>Gellert watched as an old white haired ugly as hell wizard came out from behind the bar with a black bottle of whisky in hand.<br/>
"So it is possible to get even uglier as one ages," he mused.<br/>
"I'm sorry, Gell.  I completely forgot," Blaise said, feeling awful.<br/>
"It's alright.  You didn't mean to," Gellert said, distracted by old rageful memories of the thorn Aberforth Dumbledore had been in his side.</p><p>"What's the matter," Parvati asked, looking confused.<br/>
"He helped take me down," Gellert said.<br/>
"And for the most ridiculous, stupid, small minded reasons, he resisted my efforts to improve wizarding society.  He could care less about Muggles.  He bloody hates everyone," he ranted, keeping his voice low with an effort.<br/>
It wouldn't do to draw unwanted attention to himself with a large table full of aurors right there.<br/>
"He took issue with the fact I used an obscurial simply because his sister was one.  I helped that obscurial control her magic, and last I knew she was living well.  We helped one another."<br/>
Glancing over at Blaise with a small smirk he added, "And no, we did not shag.  She was a child."</p><p>Blaise felt himself relax.  He knew the way he and Gellert could both become insanely jealous over nothing was ridiculous, but Gellert seemed to see it as a show of caring, so at least the other man wouldn't be annoyed.  He nodded and Gellert went on.<br/>
"He seemed to feel my endeavors were hurting his business, or that was the story I heard, but he helped with his network of spies to track the activities of my people.  I believe he was instrumental in my capture."<br/>
"Wow," Parvati said, dark eyes wide.<br/>
"That's heavy."<br/>
"Quite," Gellert agreed dryly.</p><p>Blaise glanced over to see Aberforth giving change to the table of Aurors for their newest bottle of whisky.  Instead of going back to the bar when he was done, he headed for their table and Gellert gave a low laugh.  Blaise removed his hand from Gellert's thigh to draw the smoky quartz wand from his pocket.  Not wanting to set Aberforth off prematurely, he held it at the ready under the table.<br/>
"What's your name, boy," Aberforth asked gruffly, eyes on Gellert.<br/>
"What's it to you, old man," Gellert snarked back.</p><p>Aberforth stood still for several seconds, then slowly shook his head.<br/>
"How is it that the world is so full of injustice.  How is it that a sweet innocent fourteen year old girl dies while you, who was supposed to be dead, sits here dirtying up the air in my place of business?"<br/>
"Oh here we go with your place of business again," Gellert said, glaring icily at Aberforth.<br/>
"You're nothing but a low life who never had the nerve to truly use his abilities. Instead you attempt to stop your betters from using theirs for the most stupid and pathetic of reasons."</p><p>"How about I just tell that table of Aurors over there who you are," Aberforth growled.<br/>
"Lets get you back in lockup where you belong, shall we?  I better move fast before you start another wizarding war with your stupidity."<br/>
"I have no desire to improve the world, fear not, old man," Gellert told him.<br/>
"And if you tell anyone anything about me, what you know, what you believe you know, you can never prove it.  Gellert Grindelwald is dead and you will be as well if you open your mouth.  I have connections that will kill you and anyone you love if you cross me.  I have even darker connections that will summon the spirit of your dead sister and make her wish she'd never seen your face, because I promise she'll know that she suffers because of you."</p><p>Aberforth drew his breath in sharply, and moved toward his sleeve as if to draw a wand.<br/>
"I really wouldn't," Gellert said softly.<br/>
"Just think of Ariana.  I'm not bluffing, Dumbledore.  I never bluff.  I owe you for much, after all.  I am only leaving you be because I have been granted an opportunity to have the life I deserve.  Now go and hide behind your bar again.  My friends and I will finish our drinks, and then we will go drink somewhere else.  I will never return to this hovel again.  You will forget that you saw me today.  Your sister continues to rest in peace.  Are we agreed?  With any luck, you will join her soon."</p><p>Gellert just couldn't resist saying that last part.  Aberforth hadn't appreciated it though.<br/>
"You don't deserve a second chance."<br/>
Gellert smirked.<br/>
"I don't care what you think of me.  I have no desire to hear you speaking.  Your opinions have never mattered and if you don't like me it's not my fault.  Now leave me alone."<br/>
"You heard the man," Blaise said.<br/>
"We'll be leaving soon."<br/>
"You'd better," Aberforth said, turning on his heal and striding angrily back to the bar where he proceeded to bang and slam things about under the pretense of arranging or cleaning them.</p><p>Parvati leaned urgently toward Gellert across the table.<br/>
"What if someone heard that," she hissed.<br/>
Gellert shook his head.<br/>
"I performed a muffling charm.  No one could hear unless they came right up to us which no one did."<br/>
Parvati sighed in relief.<br/>
"Good.  I'm glad you were thinking."<br/>
Gellert flashed her an amused grin.<br/>
"I'm always thinking, dear lady.  Always five or so steps ahead of the rest."<br/>
They finished their drinks in under five minutes and did the rest of their drinking at the Three Broomsticks.</p><p>(If you'd like to know more about how the hell the Lestranges are walking amongst us, check out their story, Bad Romance, also uploaded here.)</p>
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<a name="section0091"><h2>91. The alliance 2.0</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was only one more stage of preparation to go before Blaise and Gellert were ready to begin decorating and stocking the shop for the grand opening.  This involved the contacting of those few people they were interested in taking consignments from to add to their intriguing inventory.  The shop would only carry the most unusual and unique of items no matter who made them.  Blaise wrote Mag to see if she'd like to consign some of her wands and gemstone jewelry.  Now that Voldemort was dead, sharing her talent with a select few should be safe and she'd make a nice chunk of gold.</p><p>He also wrote Severus to see if he maybe interested to sell some of his more specialized potions in the shop.  He also wrote to Mag asking if her friend Sekhmet may want to import some of the Egyptian alcohol that could induce euphoria and visions.  He in closed his and Gellert's contact information for Mag to send to Sekhmet so she could write directly to them if interested.</p><p>As it turned out, Mag and Severus were both interested in consigning with the shop, but both would need at least a few weeks to get enough product made up to stock.  Sekhmet wasn't interested in consigning, but she was willing to buy a case of bottles and sell it directly to Blaise and Gellert.  They were fine with that and paid her handsomely for her trouble.  This allowed them to raise the price of each bottle and keep all of the profits.</p><p>They decided to keep a few bottles for themselves and to share one with friends.  Well aware of how reclusive they'd been of late, they had a dinner party and invited Kreacher, Regulus, Kereston, Millicent, Wolfgang and Parvati.<br/>
"I heard the ancient Egyptian priests used this to bring them closer to their gods," Wolfgang commented, nodding at the bottle of Egyptian spirits, prominently given center stage in the middle of the dinner table.<br/>
The meal was over and they were about to share an after dinner drink.<br/>
"Well lets go to the temple then," Sabra quipped with an elegant wave of one hand toward Bramble.</p><p>The elf poured glasses for everyone from the bottle.  Its fat ornate shape put Blaise in mind of a very old fashioned lamp.  When Bramble failed to pour a glass for himself, Sabra frowned.<br/>
"Oh come on.  Share in the experience with us.  We won't ask you to do anything in case it completely knocks you out," she told the elf with an amused smile.<br/>
When Bramble hesitated, Gellert sighed.<br/>
"Here he goes again, not having any fun with us," the blonde complained.<br/>
Bramble frowned, then keeping pointed and glaring eye contact with Gellert, poured himself a glass and downed half of it in one gulp.<br/>
"Well...I'm impressed," Gellert said.</p><p>"How do you like it?"</p><p>Bramble considered for a thoughtful moment then shrugged.<br/>
"The colors are all brighter and quite pretty...And Gellert is a little less annoying, so Bramble approves."</p><p>"Here's to Blaise, Gellert and Kreacher and to the new shop," Kereston said, raising her glass in a toast.<br/>
"And to a long over due dinner party," Millicent added.<br/>
Everyone raised their glasses.<br/>
"I must admit, if this wasn't our shop, it would totally be my new favorite place to shop," Blaise said with a chuckle.<br/>
"I approve"<br/>
Gellert nodded, chuckling as he sipped from his glass.<br/>
"Yes and as it is ours, anything we want from there is free...So long as it isn't consignment."<br/>
"And when it is, we do get that huge shop discount," Blaise said smugly.</p><p>"It's a pity Mag and Severus aren't here," Parvati said, taking a large drink from her glass.<br/>
"Now that they're teaching at Durmstrang we never see them enough any more."<br/>
"It gives us an excuse to travel," Gellert said and she nodded.<br/>
"I suppose so."</p><p>"About visions, though, this drink does do something for sure," Parvati said after taking another drink from her glass.<br/>
"I feel pleasantly light headed, but more than that there are visions dancing behind my eyes.  Only I can't make them out yet.  This is very different from when I read the tea leaves," she observed.<br/>
"Is anyone else seeing anything, because I'm not," Kereston said, tone mildly disappointed.<br/>
"I do get the light headed feeling Parvati mentioned, and it does feel pleasant, but otherwise, nothing."</p><p>"Kreacher may be seeing something," the elf said hesitantly.<br/>
"Only he thinks it could be from the ancient past."<br/>
Blaise thought that it was unfortunate Regulus couldn't enjoy the drink with them.  While the dinner had been very good, the drink was, for most everyone present, a new and exciting thing to try.  It was a class all its own, and a magical experience.  Regulus seemed the explorative type, so it was a pity he was missing out.  While the vampire looked regretful, he was openly pleased that Kreacher was able to enjoy it.</p><p>"What are you seeing," Regulus asked Kreacher.<br/>
The elf frowned and shivered.<br/>
"Kreacher doesn't exactly know, but he does not like it.  He believes it may have to do with how the elves were enslaved.  Or perhaps it involves a dark snake goddess.  Kreacher only knows that the feeling he experiences with this vision is very disturbing."<br/>
The elf closed his eyes and rubbed at his face as if attempting to erase whatever he'd seen.  Regulus put a comforting arm around his shoulders and Kreacher relaxed into him.<br/>
"Perhaps you'll see something better next," Regulus said.<br/>
Kreacher nodded and lifted his glass again.<br/>
"At least Kreacher is no longer seeing the snake goddess," the elf said in relief.</p><p>Parvati shifted in her chair, making a soft sound of distress.<br/>
"Ummm, Kreacher?  I'm not so sure that the snake is in the past.  Or if it is, she may also be in the future...because she's coming, and we aren't going to like it."<br/>
As Parvati spoke, her eyes were half closed, staring at nothing.<br/>
"It is a good thing Gellert is out of prison, because he'll have work to do when she comes...He will lead us, and gods willing, we will destroy it once and for all."</p><p>She had said it, not her, Blaise noted with a shiver.  Whatever that meant.<br/>
"Are you sure," Kereston asked.<br/>
"If only I weren't," Parvati replied.<br/>
"Don't worry, you'll be there too.  It won't be exactly what you wanted, but you can do it."<br/>
"Do what," Kereston asked and Parvati closed her eyes, swaying.<br/>
"I don't know anymore."</p><p>She sighed.<br/>
"I can't see anymore.  It's gone."<br/>
"Could you see what time period, what year this will take place," Gellert asked Parvati and she shook her head.<br/>
For his part, Gellert only saw an odd hexagonal symbol.  He had no idea what it meant so made no comment.  Instead he summoned a quill and parchment to draw what he could recall of the symbol.  Once he was finished, he pushed it into the center of the table.<br/>
"I saw this, but I don't believe it's the entire symbol.  There is probably more in the center. Perhaps old writing.  Has anyone seen anything at all like it?"<br/>
Everyone shook their heads.</p><p>"This drink makes you even more handsome than usual," Sabra told Geo.<br/>
Blaise and Gellert cringed as one.<br/>
"Please, not in front of us," Blaise pleaded.<br/>
"What he said," Gellert agreed with a grin.<br/>
No one else had visions, but once they managed to get past Parvati's disturbing words, everyone enjoyed the evening.  The drink had them in high spirits and all was right with the world.<br/>
Though Parvati's vision was unsettling, predicting perhaps another threat to the wizarding world that Gellert would lead an army to protect them against, no one knew when or even for certain if it was coming.  For now life had to go on.  </p><p>The next few weeks were busy.  While they waited for Mag and Severus to make up enough potions, wands and jewelry to send for consignment, Blaise and Gellert enchanted some more pillows with Kreacher as well as a few general scrying mirrors that could show any location so long as the one scrying had been there before.  It took Mag and Severus nearly a month, but they eventually sent a large box full of potions, wands, and gemstone pendants to sell.</p><p>Severus sent three bottles of animal communication potion that when drank would allow one to communicate with any animal until it wore off in around half a day's time.  The potion was rare and the ingredients were pricy, so it would earn Severus as well as the shop an attractive sum of gold.  He sent two bottles of another very pricy potion, that when ingested, allowed one to see what a place looked like millions of years ago.  Where ever a person was when drinking the potion, would, to their eyes, revert to how it was in prehistoric times which could be quite educational.</p><p>Mag sent a citrine, garnet and clear quartz wand for focus, cleansing, protection and amplified magic.  She sent three plain clear quartz wands and one of clear quartz and black tourmaline for protection and magical amplification.  The jewelry consisted of a large jet pendant for physical protection, a black tourmaline for spiritual and energetic protection, a labradorite in the shape of an eye for the developing of intuition and a bracelet of green aventurine to promote good mood.</p><p>"This is good stuff," Gellert said, and Blaise agreed, already adding up the profits in his head.<br/>
"Looks like we're ready to get started on the shop itself," he said.<br/>
The idea was exciting on the one hand, and on the other, both were almost reluctant because it meant finally becoming semi responsible business owning adults.</p><p>(Dear Reader.  Even after this story is completed, Gellert and Blaise will be in Kreacher and Regulus's story, The Search Is Over, and there you will learn why Regulus turned against Voldemort as suddenly as he did.  The Search Is Over is also uploaded here.)</p>
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<a name="section0092"><h2>92. Enchanted Odds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blaise and Gellert sat behind the counter of Enchanted Odds, waiting for nightfall.  This was their opening night, where select friends and business contacts would be permitted to peruse the shop before it opened to the general public the next day.  As they waited, Bramble prowled about making last minute adjustments to shelf arrangements as well as the food laid out on two long tables in the back room of the shop.</p><p>"What's next," Gellert asked, idly turning from right to left on the high backed stool on which he sat.<br/>
"Hm," Blaise asked, glancing up from an inventory list for supplies he was making for when they needed to restock.<br/>
"What are we going to create next?  What will be our next great item for this place?"<br/>
"Well," Blaise said.<br/>
"I was more thinking we could be selfish and focus on a project for ourselves."</p><p>Gellert turned an interested look to the dark haired wizard.<br/>
"Like what?"<br/>
"Well...I was thinking about the elder wand...And how it was made by a wizard back in the day...and how we're also wizards...probably better smarter wizards even, so we could make wands superior to the elder wand if we put our minds to it.  I was thinking of a crystal quartz core that Mag could provide and perhaps we build a steel wand around it that we enchant with specific properties including one that would store up magic that would make spells even stronger when enough magic is built up in the wand.  The only thing I'm drawing a blank on is how to make it sentient as you said the elder wand was.  That bit will take more research but I do have some ideas"</p><p>"Wait, Gellert had that," Bramble asked, hurrying over, eyes wide in surprise.<br/>
Gellert smirked, satisfied that he managed to rattle the stoic Bramble even a little.<br/>
"I did."<br/>
Blaise smiled.<br/>
"He told me once after shagging.  I wasn't as surprised as I perhaps should've been, because he is Gell...If anyone could find it, it would be him."</p><p>Bramble glared reproachfully.<br/>
"No reason to bring your shagging into it.  It was hardly relevant."<br/>
Gellert gave him a glazed smile, full of fond memories.<br/>
"Oh it was very necessary...You see, because of the superb shagging in part, I compared Blaise here to the elder wand...Of course Blaise came out on top...Get it.?"</p><p>"No Bramble does not, in fact,, but he still hates you," the elf huffed before stalking away only to turn and hurry back to the counter as another thought occurred.<br/>
"But...Idiot," he queried, pointing a finger at Gellert.<br/>
"Why then did you not ask Picquery where it was?  If you had it, and then were captured, apparently she knows what became of it."<br/>
Gellert shook his head.<br/>
"I think not.  That potion compelled her to tell me anything I wanted to know about my capture and she did not mention my wand.  I assume someone else got it and never told her."<br/>
Blaise nodded slightly in agreement, indicating he'd gathered the same.</p><p>"Doesn't Gellert want to locate it again," Bramble asked and Gellert slowly shook his head.<br/>
"I was talking to Black, and he believes the wand is...a sort of magnet for death as are all the Hollows.  He believes they defeat death by embracing it, and if he is correct I am of course uninterested.  Blaise is right.  We can make something better."<br/>
The blonde smiled at Blaise.  "And I am fascinated by all the ideas you have on that concept thus far.  Let's make it our next project as you suggest.  Perhaps Flitwick would have some useful ideas on the transfer of consciousness to make it sentient.  Perhaps even some ghosts could be useful if involved in the process."</p><p>"So Gellert is finished with the Hollows just like that," Bramble asked and Gellert slowly shook his head again.<br/>
"Not as such.  The meaning of the Hallows, the symbolism, is still something I value highly and will continue to use.  I will just make more of it than the original Peverell brothers who tried."</p><p>Before the conversation could progress, the bell over the shop's door gave a cheerful jingle and the sudden sound of chattering voices filled the shop as Kereston Boxwood walked in with Romeo Valdez and Igor Karkaroff, JR.  Apparently they'd all arrived at the same time and were getting on famously.<br/>
"So you're the McDonald's girl," Romeo was saying to Kereston with a laugh.<br/>
"Gellert is such a food snob," Kereston said, rolling her eyes.<br/>
"Everyone needs a little sinfully bad sometimes."</p><p>"I prefer sinfully good," Gellert called.<br/>
"Like when Blaise and I..."<br/>
"Ug, be quiet," Kereston said loudly, obviously to drown out whatever Gellert was planning to say.<br/>
"Where did you prats put the sleep pillows? Romeo was interested in getting one when I told him how brilliantly mine works."</p><p>As Gellert rose from his stool, the bell above the door jangled again.<br/>
"I came to use my discount!"<br/>
Mila danced in, silver gossamer dress floating around her to give her even more of a fae like appearance.<br/>
"Your dress matches your hair," Igor said, obviously star struck...or rather Mila struck.<br/>
"How'd you get a discount," Kereston asked, frowning.<br/>
"It's a perk of being their pet," Mila said and Kereston blinked in confusion.<br/>
"Their what?"</p><p>"She is our pet.  And you got a free pillow so there is nothing to complain about," Gellert called from the other side of the room where he was showing Romeo the shelf of pillows.<br/>
"These are for eight hours," he said, pointing to the first stack.<br/>
"The number eight is embroidered on the corner there, see?  The ones with a two on them instead are our nap pillows, and as such just good for two hours of sleep."<br/>
"Nice idea," Romeo said, picking up one of the eight hour pillows.  "I'll start with this one, though, for work leaves me no time for naps."</p><p>"How is a human being a pet," Kereston demanded.<br/>
Mila grinned and shrugged.  "Who knows, but I don't have to do anything but feed and take care of myself, which I always do anyway, and I get a shop discount."<br/>
"I feed and take care of myself too," Kereston said, glaring at Gellert.<br/>
"Yes but you aren't cute and entertaining," Gellert told her dismissively.</p><p>Parvati hurried in next, carrying a pitcher of tea.<br/>
"I brought the drinks as promised.  There's something to spike the tea with for those who want it in my bag.  Hi everyone!"<br/>
Igor gaped at her, seeming unable to decide if he preferred to stare at her or Mila.<br/>
"This is our lovely assistant, Parvati," Blaise said.<br/>
Parvati grinned.<br/>
"Yeah, tonight is my practice run.  If I can't handle helping you lot, they'll not let me come back tomorrow."</p><p>Blaise chuckled.<br/>
"Untrue.  We'll just give you more training on what's what.  We need someone we can trust out front, because we'll mostly be in the back working on new items.  And His High pratness, Bramble, has already told us he won't be coming in to help much."  Blaise gave the elf a resentful look that said elf ignored.<br/>
"Bramble has a home and Master Blaise's parents to look after," he said icily.<br/>
"Which only takes you a few minutes a day," Gellert said.  "But if you want to waste your abilities instead of growing them with us..."</p><p>"It looks so great in here," Kereston complimented sincerely, wandering deeper into the shop.<br/>
"Thank you," Blaise told his friend, meaning it.  He was rather proud of the place.  With he and Gellert's combined efforts, it perfectly merged classy with dark and intriguing.  The walls were hung with large, tasteful tapestries in Slytherin green and silver as well as classic black and red.  They were engraved with anything from protective runes served to keep their investments safe to scenes of flying witches, old castles, bubbling cauldrons, obscure creatures and of course the Deathly Hollows!</p><p>The floors were basic stone, left uncarpeted, and the front of the shop was well stocked with tall ebony wood shelves full of the things they'd made, consigned and found on their travels.  The long red wood counter's glass top served as a case for Mag's jewelry and wands so that they were on prominent display.  Four stools sat behind the counter, comfortably padded in black velvet with ornate brass backs.  Blaise currently lounged on one, and Parvati came to join him, leaving the other two empty.  Gellert and Bramble wandered about showing Igor or Mila whatever caught their interest.</p><p>"What's in the back," Kereston asked.<br/>
"It's our work space, so just some chairs and tables in the one room.  Today it has the food spread.  The bathroom is beside that.  It even has a shower in case Gell and I want to go out on the town without going home to get ourselves ready after work.  There's another room behind that one, though, and it has any items we may find or make that could be considered illegal by some.  We'll only take the very special people into the back," Blaise said, tossing the small blonde an amused grin.<br/>
"Good, lets go back there right now then," Kereston said eagerly.</p><p>The bell on the door rang again, announcing the next group to enter.  It seemed people were arriving in groups for some reason even if they weren't showing up together, Blaise noted.  Mag and Severus came in with Wolfgang, Millicent, Regulus and Kreacher.<br/>
"Hi," Kereston said, rushing to hug Kreacher who seemed just as happy to see her.<br/>
"We haven't gotten to hang out much this week, what with Kreacher making things with you guys," Kereston explained with a chuckle.<br/>
"Blaise was just about to take us into the back where the food and illegal items are," she added excitedly.<br/>
Millicent laughed.<br/>
"Encouraging illegal items...You're going to make a wonderful Minister some day!"<br/>
"Thank you, Millicent," Kereston said dryly, rolling her eyes.  "I'm always glad to serve your illegal needs."</p><p>More people arrived even as Blaise led everyone into the back with Bramble and Gellert trailing behind.  Parvati waited at the counter to serve any new customers.  Soon they were joined in the back by Blaise's uncle Basilio as well as his parents.  Mag, Kereston and Millicent's parents showed up shortly after that then Wolfgang's dad!<br/>
"You boys did so well," Sabra Zabini said, slipping a slender arm around the waist of her son and adopted son in turn.<br/>
"We did, didn't we," Gellert said, giving her a pleased grin.  Blaise could tell the compliment meant a lot to him from the way his eyes shone.  It always seemed to matter to Gellert what Sabra and Geo thought which was oddly touching.  Blaise found himself having to swallow down a bit of unexpected emotion himself as he smiled at his mum.  They were sort of grown ups now, and it was exciting.  At first the concept had seemed frightening as well, but now that he was neck deep in his own shop, he rather liked it.</p><p>"It really is a grand shop," Geo chimed in, taking a bite from the stuffed grape leaves in his hand.  And Bramble really out did himself on the food."<br/>
"He really did," Kereston agreed, taking a stuffed mushroom from a tray on one of the tables full of food.<br/>
"Romeo," Parvati called from the front of the shop.<br/>
"Your friend is here."<br/>
Romeo grinned excitedly over at Blaise and Gellert.  "It's that earth mage that caught shit from the aurors when he stopped that quake on the tour. I thought he'd like your shop and that you may enjoy meeting him."<br/>
Gellert's eyes lit with interest.  "Indeed!  He will be a valuable associate.  Thank you."</p><p>Romeo nodded and hurried out from the back to usher in his friend.  Soon he was back with the shorter wizard dressed fittingly in properly earth toned robes.<br/>
"Gellert Grindelwald JR, and Blaise Zabini, this is Ferdinand Sanchez."<br/>
"It is an honor," Ferdinand said.  Though his Spanish accent was far thicker than that of Romeo, they still understood him well.<br/>
"No it is our honor to meet an earth mage," Gellert said, and Blaise nodded eagerly.<br/>
"Romeo told me how you would've defended me if there had been need, and I appreciate that," Ferdinand told Gellert and the blonde nodded.<br/>
"It's the right thing to do when some wizards prefer hiding from Muggles to protecting their own."</p><p>The conversation, food and drinks all flowed late into the night.  Far later than either Blaise or Gellert had expected.  The shop was a great success thus far, and both enjoyed the company of the enthusiastic like minds that surrounded them.  For Gellert it was nearly like the old days, only better.  He had friends rather than followers, which meant more help on their part and less responsibility on his.  He had the love of his life at his side, and incredibly, people he loved like parents who thought of him as their son.</p><p>Even with the shadow of Parvati's vision hanging over them, he was certain that together they could handle whatever trouble was to come.  It would be wise, though, to begin building up their useful connections, and Enchanted Odds was going to be wonderful for that.  The shop was theirs, after all, so it would only bring in the best of people.</p><p> </p><p>*****<br/>
(This story continues in The Search Is Over, https://archiveofourown.org/works/26208097/chapters/63782506  and Bad Romance,  https://archiveofourown.org/works/26101192/chapters/63489775  where the threat to come shows her ugly head.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p>Songs that inspired this work and that Blaise and Gellert consider their favorites:<br/>
1. In The Dark, Billy Squier<br/>
2. My Kinda Lover, Billy Squier<br/>
3. Rock Me Tonight, Billy Squier<br/>
4. Facts Of Life, Billy Squier<br/>
5. I Think We're Alone Now, Tiffany<br/>
6.  Viva La Vida, Coldplay<br/>
7.  Professional Widow, Tori Amos<br/>
8.  All The Ways, Meghan Trainor<br/>
9. Another Opinion, Meghan Trainor<br/>
10. Friends, Meghan Trainor<br/>
11. Mom, Meghan Trainor<br/>
12. I Got You, Bebe Rexha<br/>
13. Naughty Girls Need Love Too, Samantha Fox<br/>
14. Sweet But Psycho, Ava Max<br/>
15. Eyes Like Twins, Wilson Philips<br/>
16.  Crazy For You, Madonna<br/>
17.  Ring My Bell, Tori Amos<br/>
18. I Melt With You, Modern English<br/>
19.  Let Me Entertain You, Shakespeare's Sister<br/>
20.  Wild Child, Heart<br/>
21. Have You Now, Meghan Trainor</p><p>22. Nervous, Lola Blanc</p>
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